


We choose our own destiny

by DarknessConsumesMe



Series: Windrunner Chronicles [1]
Category: Warcraft II, World of Warcraft
Genre: Action/Adventure, Age Difference, Angst, Death, Drama, Explicit Sex, F/M, Farstriders, High elf Original Character, Hurt/Comfort, Loss, Male Protagonist, Quel'Thalas, Romance, Slow Burn, Slow Burn Romance, Tragedy, age gap, alternative universe, orcish Horde, second war, troll and orc wars, wars against the Horde
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2020-06-27 05:12:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 60
Words: 321,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19783948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarknessConsumesMe/pseuds/DarknessConsumesMe
Summary: Kelrian Sunsinger is the son of a famous priest but, unlike the rest of his family he has no talent. The light doesn’t support him so he decides to become a successful and well-respected Farstrider. Following his dream won’t be easy and his growing feelings for Sylvanas Windrunner, the Ranger-General of Silvermoon won’t make things much easier. Not to mention that his parents don’t want him to become a Farstrider.





	1. The Entrance Examination

It was a sunny day in Quel'Thalas. As always, the beautiful blue sky was free of any clouds. The warm sun shined down and warmed the land which was mostly covered by fine green coloured grass. The twittering of the birds echoed through the forests.

The Eversong Woods was home to many animals. Squirrels, birds, deers, boars, lynxes, dragonhawks and many other creatures lived there. Most creatures lived in peace together. Only the lynxes looked for trouble and hunted other creatures for food.

Even though the lynxes were the only numerous predators in the forests in the forest, the balance of power still existed in the forest. The lynxes were known for attacking travellers and everyone who came in their near. That was the reason why they were hunted by the local inhabitants - the high elves.

The high elf hunters, known as the Farstriders, killed those beasts to make sure that no race in the Eversong Woods and in other forests in Quel'Thalas would extinguish. Also, they used their flesh for food and their fur for clothing. All in all, the Farstriders were doing a very good job of maintaining balance in nature.

One of these Farstrider was Sylvanas Windrunner who strolled through the forest at this very moment. She was Ranger-General of Silvermoon, meaning that she was the leader of the Farstriders. She was wearing brown leggings which were decorated with blue and golden coloured armour pieces.

These armour pieces made her look good but their main purpose was to protect Sylvanas. Her upper body armour consisted of a breastplate which exposed her belly and parts of her well-formed breasts. Her shoulder plates had the form of the head of a hawk which eyes were portrayed by expensive blue gems.

Most of her blonde, almost golden, hair was hidden beneath a blue hood which was connected with a blue cloak. Her cloak was so long that it even reached to her feet. But she always paid attention to her surroundings, making sure that nobody would accidentally step on it. It didn't even bother her in combat when she moved as fast as a gazelle.

Over her shoulders hung a majestic bow, which was made out of the best wood which could be found in the nearest forests and decorated with lots of gold, and a quiver which contained twenty-four arrows. All in all, her outfit was very expensive but also very magnificent. Sylvanas was the Ranger-General of Silvermoon, meaning that she was a well-known and well-respected personality. The people expected a lot of her and a lot of people were looking up to her, so she had to wear such magnificent clothes to impress everyone.

She was a very beautiful woman. A lot of people would say that she belonged to the most beautiful women in Quel'Thalas. Even though beauty meant a lot for the high elves, Sylvanas didn't really care if she looked gorgeous or not. She only wore such clothes and cared for her appearance because the others expected that from her.

She was respected because of her beauty, her rank, her determination and her skill in combat. It was normal for her that she had a lot of admirers who showered her with gifts and proposals. She always accepted the gifts but rejected the proposals.

She was one hundred and sixty years old which was nothing for a high elf. Lots of high elves became at least two thousand years old if they didn't fell in battle. Sylvanas was very young for a high elf, but not too young. She had reached adulthood sixty years ago but found herself still too young to raise a family. She wanted to see more of the world, fight more battles and kill more enemies before she would settle down and become a mother. Becoming more and more successful would be difficult if she had a family. Of course, she wanted to have a family one day. But not at this time and not in the near future. Probably in the distant future.

She spotted one of those, who had proposed to her years ago, leaning against a tree. The male had short blond hair and wore brown leggings and a leather vest which had been dyed greenish. His cloak, which was green and not as long as hers, was also connected to a hood but unlike Sylvanas the man hadn't put it on. He was also carrying a bow but it didn't look so magnificent as hers. He was just an average Ranger-Lieutenant, meaning that he didn't earn that much to be able to purchase such splendid weapons and armour pieces.

"Good morning, Ranger-General" he greeted politely, lowering his head in respect.

"Good morning, Velon" she greeted back and gave him a quick nod. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine. Thanks for asking" he responded.

"Have the others already arrived?" she asked curiously as she walked past him and continued to follow the path through the forest.

"They have. We are only waiting for you" he responded, following her quickly.

"How many candidates do we have today?" she didn't look at him as she talked with him. She just looked forward as she walked through the forest.

"Twenty if I remember correctly"

Sylvanas stopped suddenly, turning around. She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, giving him a surprised look. "Twenty? So many?"

"It has surprised me as well. I didn't expect that so many interested young men and women live in this area" explained Velon and got closer to her until she stood right in front of her.

"I can't complain about so many interested citizens. I'm only hoping that this time more potential recruits are among the candidates. I went to Tranquillien three days ago. It shocked me that none of the ten candidates was good enough for our standards. They weren't even close to fulfilling our expectations. Hopefully, more candidates who live in the near of Suncrown Village have potential. We have lost a lot of good men and women during recent wars and skirmishes. We absolutely need more recruits or the Farstriders die out if we have to go to another war against the trolls and orcs"

"I've seen them practicing. Lots of them have potential. I think that at least five possible recruits are among them"

"I'm hoping you are right. We will see"

"Yes, we will"

They didn't say anything else during their travel. They left the forest behind them and followed the street until they came to a small camp. The camp consisted out of five tents, two large ones and three of medium size. There was also a provisional-built training area. Training dummies, shooting targets and other practice tools had been built up in a line. Two of Sylvanas' rangers were standing in the middle of the training area and talked about something. They stopped talking and saluted to her when they spotted her. She greeted them in return and regarded her surroundings.

"It seems that you have been working hard over the past hours. This does look better than I've expected"

"Thank you, Ranger-General" one of the two elves, a female, responded.

"Where are the candidates?" asked Sylvanas, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"There" responded the other elf, pointing at the closest of the two large tents. Sylvanas gave him a thankful nod and walked to the tent which was large enough that fifty persons could fit in it. She walked through the entrance, looking around without hesitation. About ten young elves stood in the left corner and talked, ten more were spread out in the tent. Sylvanas noticed that the candidates had built groups of three to five people. There was only one elf who was not surrounded by others. He was sitting on a small stool in the right corner of the tent and regarded his bow.

He seemed to be the only one who hadn't noticed that she had entered the tent. He was so focused on his bow that he didn't notice that she was getting closer to him. Sylvanas stopped right in front of him, tilting her head as she regarded him closely. The others smiled amusedly as they stared at the young elf, who was still lost in thoughts.

Sylvanas put her hands on her hips and continued to look at the elf, wondering when he will notice her. She kept standing in front of him for two minutes before she cleared her throat. The young elf jumped up as he spotted the Ranger-General in front of him. It was unmistakable that he was frightened by her sudden appearance. - At least it had looked like she had appeared right in front of him out of his point of view.

"R...Ranger-General" he stuttered nervously, blushing heavily. Like his voice, his hands shook heavily. The other candidates began to laugh about his behaviour but they fell silent as they noticed that Sylvanas was looking at them, making a strict face. She kept staring at the candidates for a few moments before she turned back to the lonely elf who was putting strands of his half long blond hair behind his left ear.

"And who are you?" Sylvanas asked the nervous elf, regarding him with interest.

The elf needed a few moments to calm down a bit. He was still nervous but at least he was able to speak a few words without stuttering. "I'm Kelrian, Milady"

"Milady? Just call me Ranger-General"

"As you wish, Mil... Ranger-General" he responded, chuckling nervously. He tried his best to hide his embarrassment but it didn't work quite well as he had hoped. Sylvanas didn't need to turn around and look at the others to know that they were making fun of him. She was about to scold them as a familiar person stepped in the tent.

It was her older sister Alleria. She looked similar to her except that her outfit was coloured in green and was decorated with less gold than Sylvanas'. Alleria was not as beautiful as Sylvanas was but she still belonged to the most beautiful and popular women in Quel'Thalas.

Alleria's lips formed a happy smile as she saw her baby sister on the opposite side of the tent. The candidates stepped away, allowing Alleria to get to her sister. Alleria threw her arms around the neck of her younger sister, pulling her in a tight hug. "It's good to see you, dear sister"

"It's good to see you too, Alleria"

Alleria's sky blue eyes stared into Sylvanas eyes which looked exactly like hers. "You took your time, didn't you?" she asked with a cheeky grin on her lips. "We expected you an hour ago"

Sylvanas stepped away from her sister and regarded her from head to toe. "A small group of trolls kept me busy. You as a Ranger-Captain should know pretty well that dealing with them could cost a lot of time. You know, killing them, burning their corpses and stuff like that"

"Alright. You are finally here, that's all that matters. Now we can go to the training area and find out what these candidates are capable of"

"Go ahead, sister" spoke Sylvanas and pointed at the exit. Alleria nodded, signalizing everyone to follow her as she left the tent. The candidates took their things and followed the Ranger-Captain quickly. Kelrian was the only one who needed longer because he dropped his bow two times when he collected his things. Sylvanas shook her head slightly. A frown was visible on her forehead as she regarded the nervous adolescent.

He was clumsier than all the candidates she had seen during all the entrance examinations she had attended since she had become Ranger-General. She had been very young when she had stepped in the footsteps of her mother had and become Ranger-General. This meant that she had attended lots of examinations. She was very experienced so she could assume that this teenager wouldn't do very well. But she knew better than to judge someone by the first impression the person had left, so she was curious what this elf was capable of.

She waited patiently until Kelrian had collected all of his things. He blushed and gave her an apologizing look before he rushed to the tent's exit. Sylvanas followed him quickly, preventing at the last moment that he would drop his things again. Their hands touched for a short moment when she did that. Sylvanas didn't mind but Kelrian's cheeks became redder when he realized what had happened. He looked away, not wanting that Sylvanas would see him like this.

He increased his walking speed and went to the others. Sylvanas wanted to warn him that his things were about to slip out of his arms again but it was already too late. The bow, his quiver, his knives and other items he needed for the examination fell onto the ground. The other candidates broke out in laughter as Kelrian bent down to pick his things up. His head was as red as a tomato. Alleria rubbed her forehead, shaking her head. It was unmistakable that she felt embarrassed for him.

She looked at Sylvanas, wondering what she was thinking about him. Alleria expected that this young man wouldn't be suitable for the Farstriders. She was curious if Sylvanas was sharing her opinion. Everyone who had eyes would share her opinion. Alleria couldn't figure out what Sylvanas was thinking because she was making an impassive face and didn't show any emotion. Alleria shrugged and walked to the training dummies, signalizing her sister to come to her. Sylvanas didn't hesitate and walked over to her.

One of the members of her squad gave her a folded parchment. She unfolded it and looked over it before she started to read out the names which were written on it, checking if everyone was present. She was pleased as she found out that everyone was there. She knew half of the names which had been written on the parchment. At least half of the family names were known to her.

Kelrian was no exception. His family name was Sunsinger. The members of his family weren't noble but they are well known and well respected. They were known to be the best priests in Quel'Thalas. So, it made sense that Sylvanas was wondering why the child of a priest wanted to become a Farstrider. Sylvanas had never heard of a member of the Sunsinger family which wasn't a priest or a paladin. Not even the most distant relatives. Sylvanas didn't have the time to figure out why Kelrian attending on the examination nor did she want an explanation from him.

Sylvanas greeted the candidates and told them that she was glad that so many came this day. She explained quickly how the entire examination would proceed. Everyone listened curiously without disturbing the Ranger-General. Sylvanas' speech was over after half an hour. She told everyone that they had half an hour to practice before the tests would start. Everyone nodded and began to warm up.

Lots of elves ran small rounds, loosened up and stretched their limbs. Some of them decided to not warm up. Instead, they shot arrows at aim targets, threw knives at dummies or ran around the small trees which had been planted in a line next to training grounds. The distance between the small trees was big enough to allow the candidates an ideal parkour.

Sylvanas was leaning against a bigger tree, arms crossed in front of her chest as she regarded the candidates. Her eyes fell on the nervous priest son who was aiming at a target. He was biting his lip nervously and his arms were shaking. He let the arrow loose, making a disappointed face when it flew past the target. Alleria, who was standing not far away from him, had troubles suppressing her giggles. It was unmistakable for Sylvanas that Alleria wasn't believing that this young adolescent would pass the examination. Sylvanas, on the other hand, didn't give him up that easily for a reason she couldn't explain to herself.

She walked over to him, stopping a few feet away from him. Her presence didn't make things easier for the already nervous teenager. On the contrary, her presence made him even more nervous and distracted him, causing that his arrow missed the target and hit the next one to the right.

"Well, at least you managed to hit the bull's eye" Sylvanas said amused and pointed at the red circle in the middle of the aim target which was used by another candidate. Kelrian didn't laugh about Sylvanas' joke which was meant to lighten up the mood and take pressure from his shoulders. Instead, he stared ashamed on the ground, blushing heavily.

"Did someone ever show you how to use a bow?" asked Sylvanas, making a step closer to Kelrian. He didn't look at her when he shook his head in response.

"Why?" asked Sylvanas as she stepped closer to him. She put her hand under his chin, lifting it so that he was forced to look at her. She was making a serious face, signalizing him that she wanted to hear an answer.

"Well... I..." he started but didn't finish.

"Yes?" asked Sylvanas, not losing her patience as she looked at him. He was biting his bottom lip nervously as he looked at her. The red colour of his cheeks hadn't changed at all. Sylvanas noticed that she was still holding his chin. She removed her hand and folded her arms behind her back, tilting her head a little.

"To be honest, no one in my family knows how to use a bow. Among my friends are no archers, so there is no one who could teach me how to use a bow" he explained. Sylvanas heard laughter coming from behind her back. She turned around immediately. The strict look on her face was enough to silence those who had laughed. They looked ashamed on the ground or continued with their training sessions.

Sylvanas turned back to Kelrian who was still blushing. His blushing face looked cute to her.

"How old are you?" asked Sylvanas. She ignored the confused look from Alleria. She didn't need to look twice at her sister to know that she was asking herself why she was talking with this candidate who seemed to have by far the least experience with a bow of all.

The others seemed to do fine, at least according to what she had seen so far. Only Kelrian looked bad compared to the others. Still, Sylvanas didn't give him up that easily. She didn't know why she was doing this. She could just stand next to her sister and watch the candidates while they prepared themselves. Instead, she had decided to help this young inexperienced teenager so that he would have at least a small change against the other candidates.

"Fifty-five" he responded shyly.

"Fifty-five, so you are only half an adult"

"Yes, I am. I'm reaching adulthood in forty-five years"

"Until then, I'm pretty sure you will get better" responded Sylvanas.

Kelrian's eyes widened. "Do you... Do you advise me to leave and return when I'm older?"

"To be honest, I think it's better if you practice more if you really want to become one of us. I'm afraid that you would only disgrace yourself if you keep going. On the other hand, you could try it as well. Maybe you will make it if I show you how to hold a bow"

Kelrian was speechless. He didn't know what to say and think at this very moment. He knew that he wasn't the best when it came to hitting targets but he wanted to become a Farstrider so badly. Not because he had dreamed of becoming a Farstrider since his youth.

He had always dreamed of becoming a famous priest like his father. But he had failed the priest examinations two times in a row. He didn't want to learn an occupation like trader, baker or tanner. He didn't want to become an explorer either. He wanted to be useful, to do something important for the citizens of Quel'Thalas. Like protecting the innocents from dangers like trolls, orcs or wild beasts. To achieve his goal, he had to become a Farstrider.

Alleria walked to her sister, pulling her a few feet away from Kelrian. "She didn't say that you can't become a Farstrider. We only think that you need a few more years of training. A ranger without experience wouldn't be useful for us. This is nothing personal, I hope you can understand that"

Sylvanas turned her head, looking at her sister. "Give him a chance. He has applied for this examination, so he deserves a chance to show us what he is capable of"

"You just said yourself that it would be better for him to wait until he gets older and more experienced so that he wouldn't disgrace himself in front of everyone" responded Alleria. The confusion was hearable in her voice and visible on her face.

"Well, I have changed my mind. He deserves to have a chance"

Alleria raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "Fine, if you think so, Ranger-General" she responded and walked away to the other Farstriders who were regarding the scene curiously. Sylvanas noticed that the others had stopped warming up while she had talked to her sister, so she signalized everyone to continue warming up. They didn't hesitate and obeyed her.

She turned back to Kelrian who looked a lot more nervous than usual. "You should try it" she said and gave him a small smile. He gave her an insecure nod. "Come I'll show you how to hold a bow correctly"

She stepped behind him and wrapped her arms around his body, correcting his posture. Kelrian's blush became worse when he noticed that the Ranger-General's body was pressed against his back as she helped him. He could feel her hot breath on his neck. He could feel his skin tingling nervously and his heart beating faster than it had ever beaten in his life. His thoughts started to deviate. Fortunately, he was brought back to reality when Sylvanas waved her hand in front of his eyes and shook him carefully.

Kelrian blinked in surprise, his cheeks became even redder as he noticed that he had been lost in thoughts.

"I've corrected your body posture. Now it should be easier to hit at least the right aim target"

Indeed, Kelrian hit the target which was fifty-four yards away from him. He hit every shot but only the outer circles of the target. He never got past the third inner circle. In Sylvanas' opinion, he was not doing bad, considering that he hadn't used a bow very often before. But he was nothing compared to the other candidates. Most of them hit the bull's eyes with most of their shots.

Sylvanas already knew that she couldn't accept all recruits. In the end, she had to discuss with the other examiners who would be allowed to join them. She already knew that Alleria and the others would speak out against Kelrian. She was only hoping that he would be doing better in the other disciplines.

Unfortunately, he didn't cut a good figure in the other disciplines. He lost two of three times in close combat, he was slower than the others in the 1000-feet sprint and he was the last to arrive on the opposite shore of the lake. At least he was able to follow the tracks of an animal. But that was not enough to convince Sylvanas, Alleria and the other examiners.

In the end, the little committee decided to allow eight of the twenty candidates to join them and become their new recruits. Alleria had the honour to speak to the candidates and tell them who had passed the examination and who should try it again in four years. Also, she told a few candidates that it would be better for them to look out for another profession. The candidates who made it through the examination cheered loudly. Most of those who were told to return in four years didn't look very happy but they weren't angry or devastated.

The ones, who were told to look out for another profession, made angry, sad or devasted faces but they didn't say anything. They just muttered a few unrecognizable sentences and left the camp after they had said goodbye to Sylvanas and the others. The ones who had passed the examination followed Alleria to the large tent.

The other candidates left except for Kelrian who stood on the same spot he had been standing since Alleria had started her speech. He was staring at his feet, struggling hard to hold tears back.

He chewed on his bottom lip and played with his fingers nervously. He didn't notice that Sylvanas getting closer to him. She stopped right in front of him, putting her hands on her hips. Her lips formed a sympathetic smile as she observed him.

Sylvanas realized that he still hadn't noticed her. She cleared her throat, chuckling when he startled. He blushed and ran his fingers through his hair nervously, looking away a few moments later. Sylvanas tilted her head and frowned, wondering why he was avoiding eye contact.

"You don't need to be ashamed of yourself. It's only natural that those, who have trained since their youth, would pass the examination. You don't need to be ashamed that you aren't as good as they are" spoke Sylvanas with a comforting voice.

Kelrian responded quietly, still refusing to look at her. "I disgraced myself in front of everyone. In front of the other candidates, in front of Ranger-Captain Windrunner and... in front of you as well..."

Sylvanas exhaled and regarded the young elf in front of her. He was staring at the ground, tears were formed in the corners of his eyes. He was shaking nervously. His facial expression told the Ranger-General that he was very disappointed in himself.

Sylvanas had seen a lot of candidates who had burst into tears after they had failed. Sometimes, she had ordered her subordinates to comfort them. Sometimes, she had left them in peace and let them overcome their grief alone. But this time she didn't want to leave this elf alone or send another examiner to comfort him. For some reason, which she couldn't explain to herself, she wanted to be the one to comfort him.

She put her left hand on his shoulder, waiting until he turned his head and looked back at her. "You did very well for someone who didn't train at all. I'm pretty sure that you will pass the examination in four years if you practice hard enough. You just have to believe in yourself"

"Are you sure?" asked Kelrian. He wiped the tears away, giving her a hopeful look.

She smiled at him. "Of course, I am. I can see if a person has potential or not. I'm able to find out very quickly if a candidate would become a useful Farstrider or not"

"Do you think that I could become a Farstrider one day?" he asked shyly, making a step closer to her.

"I do"

His eyes widened in surprise, his mouth hung wide open as his ears received Sylvanas' words. The surprise was quickly replaced by hope.

Sylvanas chuckled and patted his shoulder softly. "You have to train very hard to reach this goal. As you may have witnessed, the examination is not easy"

"I know. I will train very hard and pass the examination next time. I promise" he spoke, sounding very convinced about this.

"I hope you will. Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Ranger-General"

"Why did you attend the examination? As far as I know, every member of your family becomes either a priest or a paladin. This tradition exists hundreds of years. Don't you want to become a priest?"

His facial expression became sadder. He broke eye contact with Sylvanas and turned his head a bit, looking at his fingers. "I attended the priest examination twice. Last month and four years ago. But I failed horribly. It seems that I'm the only one in my family who isn't qualified to be a servant of the light". His voice sounded weak and was filled with sadness.

"I'm sorry to hear that" responded Sylvanas, not knowing what else to say at this very moment. She was silent for a few minutes, staring at Kelrian as she tried to figure out how she could comfort him.

Kelrian looked up eventually, staring directly into her beautiful face. It would be a lie to deny that Sylvanas was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her eyes glowed brighter and were by far more beautiful than every sapphire he had ever seen. The colour of her skin resembled the colour of peaches. Her majestic hair was so beautiful that even gods and goddess would be envious of her. She was taller than most elven women. She almost as tall as most males she was working with. Even with his fifty-five years, Kelrian was still a teenager. He was not fully grown, meaning it was only natural that Sylvanas was a head taller than him.

Kelrian regarded Sylvanas as a goddess. As the most beautiful creature, he had ever seen. Most inhabitants of Quel'Thalas admired her. Men or women, even teenagers like him admired her. He was not sure what he felt about her but he knew that he was definitely attracted by her. No sane creature would deny that Sylvanas was breathtakingly beautiful.

After having stared into her eyes for almost five minutes, Kelrian finally managed to break the awkward silence. "I'm not even sure if I want to become a priest. My father always wanted that I would become a priest like my older siblings. I attended the priest examinations because he wanted it and not because I wanted it"

"But you want to become a Farstrider, right?"

"Yes, I do"

"Why do you want to become one of us?" Sylvanas asked, giving him a smile, which signalized him that he didn't need to be afraid.

"I want to do something useful for the citizens of our kingdom. Protecting those who cannot fight from dangers like orcs, trolls or wild beast counts as useful"

"You know that baking bread, cultivating vegetables, fruits and grain is useful as well, right? There are many other professions which are necessary for our society. Blacksmiths, village or city guards, tanners and many other professions. Why do you want to become a ranger?"

"Well, if I can't heal injured people, then at least I want to protect innocents from getting hurt. My father brought me to a military hospital years ago. Most of those who were treated there were farmers, villagers and other innocent people who did nothing wrong. The orcs and trolls were the ones who invaded their villages and murdered or at least heavily injured them. I want to prevent that more innocent lives are getting destroyed by these creatures" he explained.

Sylvanas sighed out in relief. "That's something. A lot of people want to join the Farstriders because they want to achieve glory and fame. They want to earn a lot of money and collect trophies and treasures. I don't want to deny that they want to protect our people but the main reason for many people to join us is the amount of money they can earn. It's very sad but I can't change things. I'm just glad that lots of people want to join us. We need more recruits very badly. We need more experienced rangers. Still, the recruits need to have potential. We cannot allow everyone to join us. I hope you can understand this"

"I do. I will get a lot better within these four years. I promise"

Sylvanas smiled. "I hope you do. We can always need someone who is as motivated as you are. We need more motivated recruits"

Kelrian returned her smile. "I'm glad that you think that I can pass the next examination. I will give my best"

Sylvanas chuckled and nodded her head. She patted his shoulder softly and gave him another smile. "I guess I will see you in four years. Farewell, Kelrian Sunsinger"

His heart skipped when she said his name while smiling at him like this. Happiness overwhelmed him. He wasn't angry at himself anymore. He wasn't disappointed in himself anymore. Of course, he was not happy that he didn't pass the examination but he was motivated enough to train hard for the next examination. He wanted to become a Farstrider so badly but he also wanted to impress Sylvanas, the most beautiful woman in Quel'Thalas - and on Azeroth probably too.

"I will give my best. Farewell, Ranger-General" he waved and looked at her for a few moments before he turned around and walked away, leaving the training area behind him.


	2. Another Attempt

"What are you staring at?" a familiar voice asked. Sylvanas averted her gaze from the beautiful landscape and looked at her sister who was standing directly next to her.

"Nothing" she responded quietly.

"Nothing?" asked Alleria, raising an eyebrow. "You have been standing here for half an hour and stared at the road as if you are waiting for someone. Do not tell me that you are waiting for HIM"

Sylvanas turned her head, looking back at the plastered road in front of her. She was silent for a few moments before she responded "Well, he has promised that he would return and attend this examination"

"Why are you hoping that he will return? There are many others who have more talent than him. He is the son of a priest and not the son of a Farstrider. He should try to become a priest and not a ranger like us"

Sylvanas turned back to her sister, staring into her eyes. "He didn't pass the priest selections"

"And he didn't pass our examinations, two times to be exactly"

"Hey, be fair. He would have passed last time if we would have taken more recruits. He was better than most candidates and he was far better than at his first attempt"

"But he still wasn't good enough for the examination four years ago"

Sylvanas sighed. "I'm pretty sure that he will make it this time. Trust me, I have a good eye for whether someone has much hidden potential or not". She gave her sister a small smile, patting her shoulder softly.

"If you think so. I'm curious how the other candidates are doing. It seems that you have forgotten that we are not only looking for one recruit. We want at least eight recruits with enough potential out of this area so that we can get a total of two hundred recruits. That would be twenty recruits for each regiment. You should look out for other potential recruits and not only for this boy" spoke Alleria, regarding her sister. Worry was reflected by the eyes of the oldest Windrunner.

"I know. You don't need to explain to me how my position works. I know what I have to do as Ranger-General of Silvermoon"

"Then act like the Ranger-General all people admire and not like a fangirl"

Sylvanas tilted her head, regarding her sister with narrowed eyes and a frown on her forehead. "I'm not fangirling him"

Alleria laughed amused. "Oh, you definitely are, dear sister. I don't know why, but for some reason, you hope that especially this teenager will make it through the examination"

"I think he will become an excellent Farstrider one day, that's why I hope he will come to the examination and pass this time. Not because I like him or something like that" justified Sylvanas.

Alleria shrugged her shoulders "If you think so" she responded and turned her back on her sister, walking towards the tent where the candidates were waiting. "You can wait here and hope that your dear teeny will arrive eventually. Meanwhile, I will take a closer look at the other candidates"

"Do that" said Sylvanas but her sister was already too far away to hear that. She turned around, looking back at the street. She stayed there for ten minutes, hoping that the one she was hoping to see would arrive at every moment. But he didn't come. A loud, sad sigh escaped her lips when she realized that the examination was about to begin. She turned around and started to walk to the tent as she saw a figure out of the corners of her eyes.

Her heart skipped a beat and a small smile appeared on her lips when she recognized that the person was no other than Kelrian Sunsinger who had attended the last two examinations without success.

She noticed that he changed over the past four years. He looked more mature. He didn't look like a teenager, but more like a young adult. His facial features were more defined, letting him look a lot more attractive. His blond hair was longer than she remembered. It reached to his armpits, meaning that it was almost as long as Sylvanas' golden blonde hair. He was wearing casual ranger clothes - Leather leggings and a leather vest. An excellent looking, well-crafted bow hung over his left shoulder and a quiver full of arrows hung over the other.

He ran as fast as he could, wanting to arrive at the camp before the examination's start. He arrived at the last moment, panting heavily because the sprint had exhausted him.

"It's never good to be exhausted right before the examination starts. You should have arrived earlier so you could relax a little" scolded Sylvanas. She was happy that he made it but she didn't show it because she didn't want to show anyone that she was favouring him a bit. She couldn't see Alleria or anyone else but that didn't mean that she was unwatched. Because she didn't know if someone was watching her, she decided to behave like she normally did if a candidate would arrive almost too late to the examination.

"I'm sorry, Ranger-General. My stupid brother thought it would be fun to hide my equipment. I've needed a lot of time to find it. I would have arrived an hour earlier if he wouldn't have hidden my bow and quiver"

"Your family doesn't support you, do they?" Sylvanas asked curiously, one of her eyebrows was raised.

"Hmm, well my younger siblings and my older sister support me. Only my older brother and my parents do not support me. They don't want me to become a ranger and they regard me as a shame since I failed both priest selections"

"I'm sorry to hear that. You shouldn't get depressed because your parents don't want you to become a ranger. Nobody can force you to become a priest. I think you will make a fine ranger if you work hard for it. I hope you will pass the exam this time" spoke Sylvanas, smiling at him. She didn't just say that to cheer him up. She said it because she meant it really honest.

"Thank you, Ranger-General"

"You are welcome" responded Sylvanas, patting Kelrian's right shoulder. She pointed at the tent, signalizing him to go to the other candidates. He nodded and followed her to the large green tent.

The other candidates were already awaiting them. Alleria was standing opposite to the tent's entrance, arms crossed in front of her chest. Sylvanas ignored the scolding look her sister was giving her and started to scrutinize the other candidates. She counted nineteen in total, including Kelrian. Eleven males and eight females. She spotted two or three children of famous Farstriders among the candidates. She didn't know any of these candidates except for them and Kelrian.

"It seems that we are finally complete" announced Alleria and walked over to her sister. She passed her and stepped to the exit, signalizing everyone to follow her. They didn't hesitate to follow her, leaving the tent quickly until only Sylvanas and Kelrian were left. A barely recognizable smile appeared on Sylvanas' lips as she looked at the nervous young adult, signalizing him to follow the others. Kelrian gave her a nod and left the tent as well. Sylvanas regarded him for a short moment before she walked towards the training area.

She noticed, as she arrived, that the candidates had already split up in smaller groups of three to four people. There were two groups of three people and three groups of four people. Kelrian was the only one who didn't have a group. He looked around, trying to find a group which would accept him. Most of these candidates totally ignored him. They didn't even look at him. But there was this one group which didn't ignore him. It was one of the groups of three. A young woman with bluish dyed hair waved at him, signalizing him to come closer.

The woman wore simple green coloured ranger clothes. She carried a normal bow and a quiver with normal arrows. Kelrian assumed that she didn't come out of a rich family like him. She also assumed that she had grown up under average circumstances. But he knew better than to judge someone by the family a person had been born in. His own family was rich and influential but his parents didn't support him on his way to become a ranger. So, the fame of his family didn't help him at all nor did it guarantee that he would be better than her.

The young woman stretched out her hand as soon as Kelrian approached her. "Hi, I'm Elonis Silverwalker. It's nice to meet you. These are Zetai Lightspark and Elena Firevein" she said and pointed at the two elves behind her.

Zetai was a muscular man with blood red hair who was taller than most males Kelrian had seen so far. His clothes looked nobler and a lot more expensive than the clothes of the other candidates. The bow which hung over his shoulder looked very expensive and firm as well. It was unmistakable that he had lots of money, or at least his family had. Zetai didn't say anything. He just looked down at Kelrian as if he was not worth enough to waste any words at him.

Elena Firevein stood directly next to Elonis. Her natural hair colour was orange. Her outfit didn't look much different to Elonis'. Her bow and arrows looked a bit more expensive than the equipment Elonis carried but it wasn't as expensive as Zetai's. Like basically all female elves, these two were very beautiful. Not as beautiful as Sylvanas but still more beautiful than the average female high elf. Even Zetai's handsomeness was also above average.

"It's nice to meet all of you" said Kelrian, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "I'm Kelrian Sunsinger"

"Sunsinger? Doesn't your family belong to the most famous families of Quel'Thalas? I thought every member of your family become either a priest or a paladin" responded Elonis, giving Kelrian a curious look.

"Well, that's true but it seems that I'm the only exception. I'm not very suitable for a priest or a paladin that's why I want to become a Farstrider"

"I'm sorry to hear that. I don't want to imagine how your parents have reacted when they have found out that you didn't pass the priest selection" spoke Elonis.

"Well, they weren't happy back then. They are still not happy about this even after more than a decade. But I rarely see them because I'm living in the house of my cousin, so I don't have to see their disdainful faces very day" Kelrian responded, still rubbing the back of his head. He turned his head a little, looking at Zetai who was making an expressionless face. He looked back at the two females who expressed their sympathy for him.

Elonis was about to say something as a loud whistle echoed through the air. Everyone turned around immediately, looking at the one who had whistled. It was Sylvanas who was standing on a plateau, looking down at everyone. She didn't hesitate long to start her speech.

First of all, she greeted everyone and told them that she was happy that so many candidates came today. Then she explained that this examination was different than the previous examinations. She explained that she and her rangers had guided different animals through the Eversong Woods. She told that each group had to follow the tracks of a certain animal which would lead them to a certain place where their first test will take place.

The candidates began to mutter or speak quietly with their neighbours. Kelrian didn't hear much but the faces of the others told him that they weren't sure what to think about this. The quiet talking subsided when the candidates noticed the strict expression on Sylvanas' face.

The Ranger-General continued her explanation, telling everybody that they shouldn't be afraid of wild animals which could wander around in the woods because lots of rangers would hide in the trees and kill these beasts if they would dare to come too close to the candidates. She finished her speech by wishing everyone good luck.

To each group came an examiner, who told them which tracks they should follow. Sylvanas herself came to Kelrian's group, telling them that they should follow the tracks of a brown bear. Zetai just nodded his head without saying anything. Elonis and Elena made a small curtsey and gave the Ranger-General their brightest smiles. Kelrian blushed as he looked at Sylvanas, smiling nervously. Sylvanas returned the smile and wished his group good luck. She stayed with them longer than necessary, regarding Kelrian curiously. She didn't leave until her sister cleared her throat, walking over to her and pulling her back to the tent. Kelrian caught one last glimpse of her before she disappeared in the tent.

He turned around, looking at his group. Zetai was totally ignoring him and Elena was regarding the other groups which were slowly heading to the camp's exit. Only Elonis regarded him curiously. "We should start moving if we don't want to be the last group to pass the exam"

Zetai turned his head, looking down at her. "This isn't a race. We have enough time to pass the tests". This was the first time he had spoken since Kelrian had come to the group. He didn't expect that Zetai's voice was that deep. He had thought his voice would be a bit higher but instead, it was by far the deepest voice he had ever heard.

"I know" Elonis responded, looking up at him. "Still, we would leave a good impression if we would be faster than the other groups. I didn't say that we need to be the first group to finish the exam. I'm just saying that we shouldn't dawdle"

"I agree with her. We should start as soon as possible" said Kelrian, looking at the large male who didn't pay attention to him. Zetai only evinced interest in the two females. He didn't care about Kelrian.

"Fine, then let's go" announced Elonis and started to walk towards the camp's exit. Elena and Zetai didn't hesitate to follow her. Even Kelrian didn't dawdle and followed his group.

Their focus rested on the ground as soon as they left the camp. They walked towards the Eversong Woods, looking out for animal tracks on the ground. They didn't need long to find the tracks they were looking for. Following these tracks was easier than expected at least for the first hour. The longer they walked the more unclear the tracks became.

Sometimes, the group almost got lost or almost took the wrong way because of other, similar looking traces which were almost misleading them. But in the end, after almost an hour of wandering around, they found their track again and followed it. They left the largest part of Eversong Woods behind them, coming to a small road which looked more like a small trail than a real road. The tracks ran alongside the road, so the group followed it.

They found a few lonely springpaw lynxes after walking for ten minutes. They knew that these animals were swift and could be very deadly so they avoided them by walking around them. Of course, the group knew how to defend themselves if one of these tiger-like creatures would attack them because all of them knew how to use a bow. Still, they preferred not to cross with these creatures because they didn't know how many lynxes were in the near. They knew that the rangers in the trees would protect them. Still, they chose not to risk anything.

After another hour, they finally found their destination. It was a medium sized tent with a shooting range next to it. The group didn't hesitate to walk to the tent, wondering who was awaiting them. Kelrian's heart skipped a beat when Sylvanas Windrunner stepped out of the tent. He noticed that the two female members of his group were smiling at the Ranger-General as well, curiosity and excitement were written all over their faces. Zetai was the only one whose facial expression didn't change at all. He just stared at Sylvanas, not showing any feelings.

The Ranger-General stepped closer to the group, returning their smiles. "Ah, you made it. You were faster than I've expected. Congratulations"

"Thank you, Ranger-General" responded Elonis. She crossed her arms behind her back, giving the older woman her brightest smile. Sylvanas returned the smile, then her gaze shifted to Kelrian who was smiling as well but his smile was barely recognizable. He blushed and fumbled on the string of his bow nervously as he noticed that Sylvanas' eyes rested on him.

Sylvanas cleared her throat. "We should start with the first test. I don't want to hold you up any longer than necessary. Follow me". The group nodded and followed her to the aim targets. There were four aim targets in total so each group member had its own.

Sylvanas told them that they were allowed to practice for a few minutes before the test would start. Each candidate used the time effectively. Kelrian didn't pay a lot of attention to the others. He only saw out of the corner of his eye that Elonis was doing pretty well. Almost every one of her arrows hit in the bull's eye.

The few minutes, the Ranger-General had given them, were faster over than expected. Kelrian was able to shoot ten arrows. Seven of them hit directly in the bull's eye while the distances between the other three and the bull's eye were not that large. He walked to the aim target, took all of the arrows he had shot and put them back in his quiver. He returned to the spot from which he had shot the arrows and waited that Sylvanas would announce who will be the first one to show what he or she was capable of.

It really surprised him that the Ranger-General selected him to be the first one. He smiled nervously, looking at his group members one last time. Elonis gave him a comforting smile, even Elena signalized him that she believed that he could make it. Only Zetai didn't look at him. Instead, his gaze rested on the Ranger-General, who hid very well that she was praying that Kelrian would pass this test.

Kelrian shifted his gaze to Sylvanas who gave him a comforting nod. His eyes rested on the Ranger-General for a few moments before they shifted to the aim target. He lifted his bow, pulling an arrow out of his quiver. He knocked the arrow and aimed at the target.

He noticed that his arms were shaking and his chest rose and fell each time he took a breath and exhaled a short moment later. He frowned, wondering why his body was behaving like this. He hadn't been that nervous when he had practiced a few minutes ago. Maybe he was so nervous because everything was now on a stake. Or because his comrades were watching them. Maybe he was only nervous because Sylvanas Windrunner, THE Sylvanas Windrunner was watching HIM. Her focus rested on him alone and not on every candidate.

Kelrian closed his eyes for a few moments. He managed to slow down his breathing and stop his body from shaking. He opened his eyes eventually, regarding the target closely. He waited until his arms had stopped shaking completely, firing the first arrow. He heard the quiet cheer from Elonis as the arrow hit directly in the bull's eye. He didn't hesitate and pulled another arrow out of the quiver. He aimed and fired it without waiting for too long. The arrow hit the bull's eye again, this time a bit closer to the edge than in the middle.

He fired three more arrows, only one of them didn't hit the bull's eye. He was about to pull another arrow out of his quiver as Sylvanas approached him and told him that she had seen enough to be convinced that his aim was good enough. He bowed to her and walked to the target, picking up his arrows.

He walked back to his group, receiving a smile from Elonis. He turned the smile and stepped next to her. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Sylvanas was having a weird expression on her face. He had only seen it for a small moment so he couldn't tell which emotion the Ranger-General had felt at this very moment. He was not sure if it had something to do with Elonis and the smile, she had given him.

He stopped thinking about this. Instead, he paid attention to Elena whose turn it was to prove what she was capable of. Elena shot seven arrows in total. Five hit directly in the bull's eye while the two others hit the most inner circle around the bull's eye. Elena made a small curtsey to the Ranger-General before she picked up her arrows and returned to the group.

Zetai was the next who had to prove himself. All of his arrows hit the middle of the bull's eye, not even a single one landed in the near of the bull's eye's edge. It was unmistakable that everybody was more than impressed by Zetai's aim. Even Sylvanas was not able to hide that she was impressed by him. Zetai glanced at the Ranger-General for a short moment before he walked to the aim target and picked up his arrows. He walked back without saying anything else.

Then it was Elonis' turn. She wasn't able to hide that she was a bit nervous. She missed the middle of the aim target only by a hair's breadth with her first arrow. But the second and the third shot hit right in middle. She didn't miss her target with the fourth and fifth shot. The following three shots hit the bull's eye as well. Elonis turned to the examiner, bowing to her. Sylvanas chuckled, signalizing the female to pick up her arrows. Elonis did as she was told and returned to the group.

Sylvanas regarded the group for a few moments before she walked over to them. "Congratulations on successfully passing this test. All of you have convinced me that you know very well how to hit a target which cannot move. But of course, being able to hit non-moving targets is not enough to convince me that you would make fine rangers. We will hunt a few deers for the next test so you can show me how good you are at hitting moving targets"

Everyone was happy that they passed the test and also excited that they could finally hunt a moving target and prove the Ranger-General that they were also capable of this. Sylvanas pointed at the hill on the horizon, telling everyone to start moving to it. Zetai, Elena and Elonis didn't hesitate and started moving.

Kelrian was about to follow them as he felt a hand on his shoulder which stopped him from moving. He turned around, noticing that Sylvanas was standing right there, smiling at him. She was not a head taller than him anymore like she used to be eight years ago because he had grown over the years. He was as tall as her, meaning he didn't need to tilt his head back to be able to regard her beautiful face.

"You did very well. Your skills with the bow impressed me" she complimented, patting his shoulder softly.

"Thank you Ranger-General. I've trained even harder since the last exam. This time I will become a recruit"

"I hope so. You have become a lot better since the last time we met. I hope you will be just as good in the other disciplines. I think you have good chances of becoming a recruit this time"

"I hope you are right"

"I hope so as well" she said smiling.

Kelrian returned her smile, staring into her beautiful eyes. She returned the staring for a few moments before she cleared her throat and pointed at the others who were at least one hundred fifty feet away from them. "We should follow the others" suggested Sylvanas, smiling politely.

"Yes, we should do that" responded Kelrian, looking one last time into the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen before he turned around and walked with Sylvanas to his group.


	3. Prove yourself!

"Do you see these?" asked Sylvanas as she pointed at the three lonely deers in the middle of the forest.

"Of course, we do, Ranger-General" responded Elonis. Like the Ranger-General she and her group were huddling on a small hill. Their task was to bag a few of these animals to demonstrate that they were capable of hitting moving targets.

"Good. Kelrian, you will be the first who will try to take down one of these" announced Sylvanas and got up. Kelrian nodded and got up as well. He was wondering why Sylvanas had chosen him once again as the first to show what he was capable of. He didn't mind at all to be the first one.

He took his bow from his shoulder, pulling an arrow out of his quiver. He knocked the arrow, aiming at the nearest deer which was about one hundred feet away from him. The deer was moving - slowly but it was moving. Kelrian took a deep breath, regarding the deer with narrowed eyes as he kept aiming at it. He moved his upper body a little until he was sure that he had the right angle. He let loose the arrow, following it with his eyes. The arrow hit the deer in the ribs, causing that a pained cry came out of its snot. It didn't hesitate to run away in panic as fast as its legs allowed it. The other deers heard the cry and ran as well.

"That was a good shot" complimented Sylvanas.

"It was not even close to the head" responded Kelrian, sounding a bit disappointed in himself.

"It's okay, I didn't expect that from someone who hadn't been trained by an experienced hunter. You hit a moving target, that's all that matters"

"If you say so, Ranger-General"

Sylvanas pointed in the direction where the deer had run, looking at the others. "Come, we need to follow it if we want to get it"

She didn't wait until her group had agreed. She sprinted towards the pointed direction, following the deer. The group followed her for a while until she stopped.

"It has finally stopped after running for an hour" whispered Sylvanas, pointing at the deer. It was standing right in front of a small river, looking around for enemies. Sylvanas and her candidates were hiding behind the trunk of a very big tree so that the deer couldn't see them. It didn't seem to have sensed them either because it didn't run away. Instead, it trudged to the river and drank some water.

Sylvanas waited until the deer started moving again. It moved with average speed because it was convinced that no enemy was around. Sylvanas gave Zetai the signal to bag the animal. He nodded and stepped out behind the tree, knocking his arrow faster than any other group member would have done. Only Sylvanas would have been able to knock an arrow faster than him.

The arrow flew through the air, hitting the deer directly in the right eye. The deer made a pained sound, making few last steps before it collapsed on the ground and died.

"That was a perfect shot, Zetai" complimented Sylvanas.

"Thank you, Ranger-General"

"We have successfully bagged an animal. Does anyone of you know how to disembowel an animal?" asked Sylvanas looking from candidate to candidate. Zetai and Elonis raised their hands.

"It's okay if you don't know it. Knowing how to hunt and disembowel animals will be necessary for surviving in the wilds. Especially, during times of war. But I don't presuppose that you know that. You will learn that during your training soon enough if you become recruits".

Sylvanas looked at Zetai, pointing at the deer. "Can you carry it? You are very tall and muscular. I think you should be strong enough"

"Don't worry, Ranger-General. I have carried larger deers and even very big boars on my shoulders. I think I should be able to carry it for a while"

A satisfied smile appeared on Sylvanas' lips. "Good. We will disembowel it when we arrive at the camp where the next test will take place"

Zetai nodded and walked to the dead deer. He pulled his arrow out, waiting that Kelrian did the same. He bent down, lifting the deer and putting it on his shoulders without a problem. He stood up, receiving impressed expressions from Elonis, Elena and Kelrian. Sylvanas nodded, signalizing the group to follow her.

They did as they were told and walked with her over half an hour until they spotted another, smaller deer. Sylvanas signalized everyone to stop. She turned around, looking at Zetai who was still carrying the deer on his strong shoulders. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine. I should be able to carry this deer for a few more hours" he responded.

"You can also put it down as long as we hunt"

"I'm fine"

"If you say so" responded Sylvanas, looking at Elena and Elonis. "Elena will shot first but Elonis you will make yourself ready as well for the case that the animal doesn't die. I want you to shoot if the deer survives"

"As you wish" the two females said in unison. Elena looked at Elonis, receiving a confident smile from her. She gave her a nod and took her bow, pulling an arrow out of her quiver. She knocked the bow, aimed and fired. The arrow hit the deer in the neck but it was not enough to kill it. The suppressed noises, which were hearable, died away when Elonis' arrow hit the deer right between the eyes. The deer collapsed and stopped moving eventually.

"Nice shots" commented Sylvanas, walking to the deer. She bent down, regarding the dead animal. She whispered a few words before she pulled the arrows out. She handed them to the two women, signalizing that she was proud of them. Elonis and Elena smiled happily, making a curtsey. Sylvanas chuckled, signalizing that such gestures weren't necessary.

She signalized Kelrian to come over to her. He did that without hesitation, already knowing what she wanted from him. He bent down and picked the deer up, putting it on his shoulders. Kelrian was able to walk without problems because the deer was much smaller and lighter than Zetai's deer.

Sylvanas led the group through the forest, arriving at another camp which was a lot taller than the previous camp. They spotted another group of four people in the middle of the camp. Sylvanas and her group didn't hesitate to enter the camp and walk to the other group which consisted out of three males and one female. Behind them was Alleria sitting on a crate. She tilted her head as she saw the deers her sister's group was carrying.

She jumped up, walking over to her sister. Alleria stopped directly in front of Sylvanas, regarding her amused. "It seems that your group did well in hunting deers. Two deers mean that half of your candidates hit their targets"

"All of them hit the deers but not every shot was deadly. But that was not the task. The task was to hit a moving target. The task was not to kill one" reminded Sylvanas, signalizing that she was proud of her group.

"Two dears are better than nothing. Have you already asked if someone knows how to disembowel animals?"

"I did and it turned out that two of them know how to do it. How many of your group know that?" asked Sylvanas, looking at the group of her sister. The young woman with short blonde hair was the only one who raised her hand. Sylvanas looked back at her sister, giving her a teasing grin. Alleria tilted her head and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She gave Sylvanas a questioning look as she stared into her sky-blue eyes.

"That means nothing, little sister" spoke Alleria.

"I didn't say that this means anything, did I?"

"So, why are you grinning at me like this then?" asked Alleria, giving her a curious look.

She chuckled as she patted Alleria's shoulder "I don't know what you are talking about, dear sister"

Alleria rolled her eyes. "Anyways, our groups are here for the next test and not for listening to us while discussing"

Sylvanas turned her head, looking at her group. She received nods from Kelrian and the others, turning back to her sister immediately. "We are ready when you are"

"We are ready as well" responded Alleria.

"Alright, so that means we can go to the training area now" announced Sylvanas and guided her group over to the area which was covered by sand. She told Zetai and Kelrian to put the deers on the large table which stood at the edge of the area. They did as they were told and walked back to her.

Alleria stepped next to Sylvanas, looking at both groups. "The next test will be about your skill in close combat with and without weapons. Of course, you will only use training weapons made out of wood. There will be no gender restrictions which means that a female can also fight against a male. During times of war, nobody cares about which sex you are. Your enemies will try to kill you no matter if you are a woman or a man. There will be no one who wouldn't attack you because you are a woman. It's better for women to get used to fighting males from early on, so they can learn how to fight against enemies which are taller and stronger than you"

She looked at the two groups, receiving understanding nods from them. She looked at her sister, pointing at the table next to the one where the deers were lying. Sylvanas signalized her that she understood what she wanted from her. She walked over to the table and picked the bowl up, returning with it to her sister. She handed Alleria the bowl who shook it for a few seconds before she pulled out two scrunched up small pieces of paper. She unfolded the pieces and read out the names which were written on them.

Zetai Lightspark and Vardon Highstrider.

The first round was without weapons. Zetai was a lot taller than his opponent but Vardon was faster than him. But not fast enough. He managed to hit Zetai a few times but his punches didn't bother the man of giant stature. Zetai needed only two precise punches to cause that Vardon stumbled out of the marked combat zone. Zetai won the fight because his opponent left the combat zone.

He walked to Vardon and helped him up but didn't say anything to him. He returned to his group, ignoring the impressed facial expressions of Elonis, Elena and Kelrian. Sylvanas and Alleria were also impressed but they didn't show it. Zetai stepped behind Sylvanas and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Alleria pulled two more pieces of paper of the bowl, announcing the next pairing.

Kelrian had to fight against the blonde woman from the other group. Her name was Kelia Goodwood.

Kelrian entered the combat zone, feeling a bit unsure about fighting against a woman. He didn't think that women were weaker than men, nevertheless, he still felt uncertain about fighting against one. His mother had always taught him that it was forbidden to hit girls and women. He was well brought up but he also knew that he couldn't spare a troll or an orc woman in future wars. He knew that in dangerous situations he couldn't pay attention to the gender of his enemy. He knew that he had to kill women one day if he would become a ranger. Like almost all races on Azeroth, trolls and orcs also sent their women into battle. Female orcs and trolls were known to be very fast and deadly same counted for high elven women.

He knew this test was not a dangerous situation but also knew that he had to fight a woman one day. He thought it was better that he would get used to fighting or sparring with women so that he would be prepared if he had to fight female orcs or trolls in a future battle.

He took a deep breath, signalizing the Windrunner sisters that he was ready. The battle began as Kelia did the same. Both competitors didn't do anything during the first few seconds. They just stood there on their spots, making defensive postures.

Eventually, Kelia came closer and started to attack. Kelrian managed to block most of her punches with his elbows, only a few hit him in the side. He stayed passive for the first two minutes and only tried to block or dodge her attacks. He was hit a few times but he remained unflappable.

Finally, after he was hit at least ten times, he went over to attack. Both fighters exchanged blows but every time it was in Kelrian's favour. He had the upper hand but not because she was a woman and he was a man. He had the upper hand because he had gained experience during the previous examinations. He knew the weaknesses of the average candidate so he knew very well how to bait her and score a few extra hits. In the end, after they had traded blows for five minutes, he managed to push her out of the combat zone, winning the battle.

Kelia didn't look happy that she had lost the fight but she was not sad because she knew that there were more chances for her to prove herself. She went to Kelrian, shook his hand and told him that he had fought well. Kelrian thanked her, telling her that he was hoping that she would be able to prove herself in the next duels. She thanked him, walking back to her group.

Kelrian did the same, noticing the happy smile which lasted on Sylvanas' lips for a few moments. He gave her a small smile, looking at her for a few seconds before he stepped next to her and looked at Alleria who fished out the next pairing.

She announced the next pairing and the next, and the next and so on until it was Kelrian's turn again. He had the misfortune to compete against Zetai. The brute didn't need more than three punches to throw Kelrian out of the combat zone. Kelrian's upper body was hurting but other than that he was uninjured. Zetai hadn't used any unnecessary violence so Kelrian was able to attend the next round.

Each competitor was able to choose between multiple weapons. Kelrian chose a one-hand sword while Elena chose two daggers. Elonis chose a spear and Zetai chose a large two-hand sword. Kelrian was silently praying to the light that he wouldn't have to fight against Zetai. He knew that his chance to win would be pretty low if he had to face Zetai.

In his opinion, Zetai was by far the strongest and most skilled candidate of these two groups. He assumed that Zetai would pass the examination with ease. He had heard about the Lightspark family, but he didn't know much about them. He had never heard of a member of the Lightspark family which became a Farstrider. He didn't even know what Zetai's family was doing. He could only assume that Zetai would make a fine Farstrider and become very successful and well-respected. He was sure that Zetai will bring great honour to his family.

To his relief, he didn't need to fight against Zetai. Instead, he fought against two males of Alleria's group. The first fight was rough because his opponent was very skilled with his two daggers but in the end, Kelrian managed to disarm him and force him to surrender. The second fight was much easier. His opponent had also chosen a one-hand sword but he was not as skilled as Kelrian was. The young adolescent managed to push his opponent out of the combat zone.

Kelrian returned to his group after he had won his last fight, taking a seat on the bench on which Sylvanas was sitting. It was unmistakable that he was exhausted even though the last fight had been much easier than the first. Elonis took a seat next to him and put her hand on his shoulder, patting it softly. "Congratulations, Kelrian. You did pretty well"

"Thank you, Elonis. You are doing well too. You haven't lost a duel yet"

"Wait and see. I have a bad feeling that I have to fight against Zetai" responded the blue-haired woman.

"Hopefully not" replied Kelrian, the corners of his lips formed a small smile.

Elonis turned her head, straining her ears as she heard her name. She stood up and walked over to Alleria, wondering who her opponent will be. It turned out that Elena was her opponent. Both women bowed to the other as they entered the combat zone. They shook hands, wishing each other good luck. Kelrian only knew them for a few hours but during these hours he had gotten the assumption that Elonis and Elena were very close. He assumed that they were friends, very close friends, maybe even best friends.

He was curious who of them was better in close combat with weapons. He leaned a bit forward, noticing out of the corner of his eyes that Sylvanas was also regarding the pairing with curiosity. Her hands rested on the bench not far away from his. He regarded her hands for a few moments, wondering how her skin would feel like. He had accidentally touched her hand once and even though it had happened eight years ago he still remembered the soft touch of her skin.

He shifted his gaze away before he would do something he would regret later. He looked back at Elonis and Elena who were already fighting. They exchanged hits but none of them had the upper hand during the first five minutes. After an additional five minutes, Elonis slowly gained the upper hand. She hit Elena more than she did because she managed to dodge or block every second attack. Even though Elonis was doing better than her opponent, she wasn't able to win within the next five minutes.

Kelrian was still regarding them, wondering who would win. He didn't know why, but somehow, he was hoping that Elonis would win. He didn't know why he was favouring her. Maybe because she had been so friendly to him and had made sure that he wouldn't have gotten lost when they had followed the brown bear tracks. He was not sure about this.

He was still watching the duel as he suddenly felt something warm on his hand. He could only assume that it was Sylvanas' hand but as he turned his head to look at her, he noticed that Sylvanas' hands rested on her lap. He frowned as he regarded Sylvanas who was still watching the duel. He shook his head slightly, assuming that he had only imagined this.

For him, it was absurd to think that Sylvanas Windrunner, THE Sylvanas Windrunner would lay her hand on his. He was just an average young man who had the potential of becoming an average Farstrider. But she was Sylvanas freaking Windrunner. She was the most beautiful, the most respected, the most admired and the most skilled ranger of Quel'Thalas. There was no way that she would ever want something from him.

Kelrian shook his head again, making fun of himself that he had been so foolish to think that Sylvanas Windrunner would want something from him. She may be more friendly to him than to most of the other candidates and she may talk to him much more than to the others but that didn't mean that she would favour him.

At least he was thinking that. He couldn't know that Sylvanas was feeling something for him. She was definitely feeling something. She just couldn't tell what it was. Was it friendship? Was it admiration? Was it love? Or was it something completely different? She didn't know.

She turned her head, looking at the young male who had aroused her interest when they had met for the first time eight years ago. He was following the duel with interest and curiosity. She regarded him while he did that, only shifting her gaze away when he turned his head to look at her. She didn't blush nor did she show that she was a bit nervous while being around him. She just watched the duel until it was over. In the end, Elena had managed to win the duel even though it had looked very good for Elonis. Elena had won by tricking her opponent and pushing her out of the combat zone.

Sylvanas looked back at Kelrian at the very moment where he stood up and walked over to his teammates, congratulating Elena for her unexpected victory. He told Elonis that her fighting style had really impressed him. He comforted her and also told her that she didn't need to be disappointed because had been doing well. Elonis thanked him, giving him a small smile.

Elonis went over to Elena and hugged her, rubbing her back softly. Elena kissed Elonis' cheek softly before she walked over to Sylvanas who had gotten up as well. Sylvanas congratulated her about her win, telling her that never giving up would always pay out. She thanked the Ranger-General and took a seat on the bench as the next pairing was announced. Elonis joined them, taking a seat as well.

Kelrian and the three women watched the rest of the test. Everyone of Kelrian's group had already fought four times so they could relax while watching the last few pairings which were doing pretty well.

There was no one who had lost every fight. Every candidate had won at least one fight. Most of the candidates had won two fights. Elonis, Kelia and Kelrian had been able to score three wins. Zetai and Elena were the only ones who had won four times. The two Windrunner sisters congratulated them and told them that they believed they will do well in the following tests. Zetai and Elena thanked them.

The Windrunner sisters separated after they had talked for ten minutes. Sylvanas and her group walked to the table on which the two deers were lying. Alleria guided her group to the eastern entrance and left the camp as fast as possible. Sylvanas walked over to a tent, entered it and returning with four wooden crates. She put them on the nearest free table, signalizing Zetai and Elonis to cut as much meat as possible out of the deers' bodies and put them in the crates.

"What do we do with the innards?" asked Elonis after they had filled all four crates.

"Put them in this crate and so I can throw them in the nearest forest. The lynxes will consume them" responded the Ranger-General, giving them a fifth crate which she had taken out of the tent as well.

"We could also skin the deers and bring their fur to the tanner of Suncrown Village" suggested Zetai.

"That's a good idea. We should do that" praised Sylvanas, signalizing Zetai and Elonis to skin them. Kelrian watched them doing that. He didn't get sick when he had watched them cutting out the innards of the deers and he was also able to watch them skinning the animals without needing to puke. He had learned how to skin an animal.

Each of the candidates had to carry one of these crates. Sylvanas carried the crate with the innards while Zetai also carried the furs over his shoulder. The group followed Sylvanas through the western entrance to the bordering path. They followed the path to the nearest forest, entering it so that Sylvanas was able to spread the innards over the ground. She turned around and walked back to the group, pointing at the outlines of a lake on the horizon.

"We have to follow this path if we want to reach the lake. There will the next test happen"

"So, we have to show our swimming skills, right?" asked Kelrian, regarding Sylvanas curiously.

"Your swimming and diving skills" corrected Sylvanas.

"Diving? I didn't remember having done that in the last two exams"

"The examination committee decided to add it to the test. Being able to swim and dive for very long will always be useful for a ranger"

"That makes sense"

"It does, indeed" responded Sylvanas, looking directly at him.

He was holding the crate right in front of his chest. It didn't seem that he had troubles carrying the crate which weighed at least seventy-seven pounds. He would have struggled to carry such a heavy crate over a longer distance eight years ago. But now where he was older and stronger, he had no problems carrying a crate full of delicious meat.

"You were the second fastest swimmer four years ago, weren't you?" Sylvanas asked Kelrian.

"I was. hope I can be the fastest this time"

"I hope so as well" responded Sylvanas, giving him a small smile. Kelrian returned the smile and stared into her gorgeous eyes for a few moments before he shifted his gaze back to the uneven path. He didn't want to stumble over a sticking out root and disgrace himself in front of the woman he admired so much.

Sylvanas and Kelrian didn't talk much but they glimpsed at each other from time to time without the other noticing. Neither did the other group members notice what was happening them between them as they continued to follow the path to the lake.


	4. Final Phase

Sylvanas and her group noticed that they weren't alone when they arrived at the small camp next to the lake. The groups of Ranger-Lieutenant Velon and Ranger-Captain Bellatrice were standing in the near of the lake's shore, already wearing swim clothes. The members of Sylvanas' group, on the other hand, were still wearing their normal clothes because they hadn't been able to change them yet. Fortunately for them, there were enough little tents so everyone could change in peace.

Sylvanas signalized her group to change as fast as possible. They didn't hesitate and entered the tents. Kelrian spotted a small table and a chair inside his tent. On the table stood two boxes, with different symbols carved in the lids. The left box was marked by the male gender symbol while the other was marked by the female symbol.

Kelrian didn't hesitate and opened the box, pulling a dark-green swimming trunks out of it. He looked around, making sure that nobody was spying on him. He removed his clothes, putting them on the table before he put the swimming trunks on.

For some reason, he felt watched but he couldn't see anyone. He shook his head, assuming that he had only imagined this. He had no idea what made him thought that someone was watching him. Sometimes he had the silliest and most stupid thoughts.

He regarded himself in the mirror next to the table, making sure his hair was perfect. He left the tent as soon as he was satisfied with his looks. The first person he caught sight of was no other than Sylvanas who was regarding him with interest. He didn't notice that her gaze was lowered from his eyes to his muscular torso. Nor did the others noticed that.

He was not as muscular as Zetai but he was still well-built and had more muscles than most of the other candidates. All male candidates were wearing similar swimming trunks. The women, on the other hand, wore bikinis that did not overemphasize certain parts of their bodies. The examiners didn't want that the males would get too much distracted by the beautiful women. But it seemed that the women were the ones who got distracted. Most of them were staring at Zetai who ignored their glances.

Kelrian could understand why the females were going to raptures about Zetai. He was very tall, very muscular, very handsome, very strong and very brave. A lot of women favoured Zetai but that didn't mean that Kelrian wasn't admired as well.

He may have bad chances against Zetai but he was still a handsome young man who had gotten a little fanbase over the past hours. He couldn't know that Elonis, Kelia and Sylvanas were admiring his looks. These three women were standing a few feet away from another, not noticing that the other was interested in Kelrian as well.

Kelrian looked around, finding out that everyone was ready. He looked at Sylvanas who gave him a small smile before she arranged that the groups were mixed and new groups were formed.

Kelrian came in a group with Elena and two strange male he didn't know. The second group consisted of Zetai and three other males which were at least one head smaller than him. Elonis formed a group with two blonde twin sisters and a red-haired man who was almost as tall and muscular as Kelrian.

All present candidates turned around and looked at the examiners. Alleria was the one who started to speak. She didn't notice that Sylvanas was too distracted by Kelrian's exposed upper body to say something.

Sylvanas' gaze rested the entire time either on his handsome face or on his muscular upper body. She didn't know what was going on with her. She didn't know why she was looking at him the entire time. She tried to look away but for some reason, she was not able to avert her gaze. It felt as if she was hypnotized and forced to stare at the young man.

She was just glad that nobody noticed that she was staring at him. Not even her sister, who stood next to her and looked at her when she had finished her speech. She gave her a sympathetic smile and patted her right shoulder. Sylvanas looked at her sister for a short moment, signalizing her to go to the groups and tell them what was awaiting them.

Alleria nodded to her, regarding her for a short moment before she headed to the groups. While Alleria was busy with explaining, Sylvanas took a seat on the nearest bench, crossing one leg over the other as her gaze found Kelrian again. The blond teenager was holding his hands behind his back, listening attentively to Alleria. Sylvanas' sky-blue eyes rested on his well-trained upper body. A weird feeling spread out in her stomach. She noticed that she was sweating but it was not only the sun's fault.

Her body became warmer and warmer the longer she stared at the priest son. She couldn't explain to herself what was going on. She could only assume that this meant that she was heavily attracted by him. She didn't know when this attraction had started. She only knew that it was hard to avert her gaze from him. For some reason, she couldn't stop herself from staring at him. Seeing Kelrian stretching himself made things only worse. She was biting her bottom lip softly, one of her legs was crossed over the other as she continued to regard him while warming up.

The effect of the weird feeling, which had spread out all over her body, became subdued when Kelrian got in the water eventually. Finally, she was able to concentrate on regarding everyone and not only Kelrian. She had no clue what was going on with her.

She had never met a person before who had managed to distract her so easily without doing much at all. He had just been standing there, only wearing his swimming trunks and Sylvanas hadn't been able to think clearly. She had dated many men but never before had the mere presence of a person had such an influence on Sylvanas. Kelrian was basically doing nothing and Sylvanas was already falling for him.

But she knew better than rushing things. She needed to find out what was going on with her. She also needed to find out if Kelrian was also interested in her or even feeling something for her. She was hoping that with all of her heart. She knew that even if he would return her feelings, coming together with him and keeping a relationship wouldn't be easy, considering that a lot of people were watching her.

She was under surveillance by many influential people. If rumours would spread out, a possible relationship would be already doomed from the start. Kelrian would be set under so much pressure, not to mention that a lot of her admirers could threaten him or bully him because they would be jealous of him.

She still didn't know what she was feeling for him. It was definitely an attraction. Maybe even a heavy attraction, considering how her body had reacted when she had taken a closer look on his exposed upper body. She knew that an attraction, even a heavy attraction, was not enough to set a stable fundament for a functional relationship - If she wanted a relationship with him. She was not sure about this.

Maybe she just wanted him to relieve some stress... She had no clue what she wanted from him and felt for him. Two things were clear to her. She didn't just want friendship and she had to get to know him better to find out what exactly she was feeling.

Usually, she was so convinced of herself that she assumed that everyone was attracted to her. But for some reasons, she was unsure if Kelrian was feeling something for her. She was afraid that he only regarded her as his mentor or as a possible close friend. She needed to know what he was thinking about her but she saw no way without others finding out that she was interested in him. She needed to be patient.

The worst she could do would be to rush things and ruin everything. Fortunately for her, she had always been a patient woman. She had taken a few lovers but that had happened decades ago. For sixty years she was waiting for the right one.

She was sick of short-lived relationships or one-night stands so she had decided sixty years ago that she would let no one in her bed who wasn't worthy of her love or didn't truly love her. She hadn't broken her own promise for sixty years so she could wait much longer. She was a Farstrider. A ranger. A hunter. As a hunter, she knew that patience always paid out. She just needed to keep an eye on the one who had aroused her interest.

Her eyes rested on Kelrian all the time during the test. He was a very fast swimmer, not the fastest but still fast enough to score place three in the swimming competition.

Kelrian may not be the fastest swimmer but he surprised everyone with his diving skills. Sylvanas had never seen him diving before so she hadn't expected that he would be the one who could hold his breath the longest. He was even faster than everyone when it came to getting a ring which had been locked in a treasure chest on the bottom of the lake.

Everyone had gotten a key at the start of this task. Dozens of treasure chest had been thrown in the lake. He was the first who managed to unlock the chest and resurface with the ring in his hand.

The examiners cheered for him. Sylvanas was by far the loudest. She didn't stop cheering as her sister gave her a questioning look. She ignored Alleria as she continued to applaud for Kelrian, signalizing him that he had done a good job. Kelrian smiled at her happily, signalizing that it meant a lot for him that she was proud of him. She returned his smile, stopping to clap when everyone else stopped.

Kelrian was one of the last to leave the water after the end of the last test. Sylvanas' eyes widened and her breath stopped as she caught glimpse of his wet body. She would lie if she would say that his wet skin wasn't making him appear sexier than he already was. She forgot to breathe until her body signalized her that it needed air.

She took a deep breath but didn't stop looking at Kelrian. He looked at her as well, wondering why her knees were shaking. He assumed that the air made her shiver with cold. The air had become colder over the previous days so it sounded logical for him. Her upper arms, her belly and half of her breast were exposed to the cool air so his assumption sounded right for him. He couldn't know that his presence and the absence of his cloths caused that Sylvanas' knees were trembling. The sight of his wet body was causing that.

Even Sylvanas herself didn't know why her legs were shaking. They were shaking for some reason she couldn't explain to herself. She only knew that it had something to do with the gorgeous sight of Kelrian's wet and well-trained upper body which was covered by lots of water drops. Seeing his muscular chest rising and falling whenever he took a breath didn't make things easier.

She knew she should look away to prevent that the shaking of her body would become worse. She was afraid that people would get suspicious if her body would keep reacting like this. To her relief, the candidates and examiners looked at her but didn't interpret something out of the reaction her body was showing.

She tried to avert her gaze from Kelrian but it turned out to be impossible. Only when Kelrian disappeared in one of these many small tents and returned in his clothes she was able to stop staring at him like a horny teenager who never had sex before.

She blushed a little, looking at her sister who was giving her a mocking grin. Sylvanas had the bad feeling that her sister would tease her for her behaviour for at least a month. Her older sister knew her pretty well so Sylvanas wasn't surprised that she had found out about her attraction for Kelrian.

She was glad that no one else had noticed something - At least they pretended that they hadn't noticed anything. She didn't want that people spread rumours behind her back but she saw no way to prevent that people would whisper about her and her most favoured candidate.

Everyone who had eyes and was clever enough had found out, at the latest during the last examination, that Sylvanas was favouring him. Nobody would dare to say anything about that in public but that didn't mean that they wouldn't start spreading rumours sooner or later. Sylvanas was more than happy that no rumours had been spread over the past eight years.

Even if rumours would have been spread, she would have ignored them and lived on. A lot of rumours about her had been spread over the years but she had never made a comment to them. She had just waited until these rumours had died out as quickly as they had been created.

As the Ranger-General of Silvermoon, she was already too busy with her numerous tasks. She had almost no time to date others, so finding the right one was very difficult for her. All in all, she had no time for worrying about rumours and gossip.

But she was sure that rumours and gossip wouldn't stop her if Kelrian felt something for her. She was the best ranger of Silvermoon, she had perfected hiding in the shadows, so she would be able to pay a visit to anyone she wanted without being seen. She had her ways to make a secret relationship work but only if it would be worth trying.

She knew that she needed to make sure that Kelrian will join her group so she could see him almost every day. She knew that her sister wouldn't make things easier for her but she was pretty sure that she would find a way to convince her. She had the highest rank among the Farstriders so she wouldn't need too many arguments to justify why she would want him in her group.

So far, she had seen a few candidates who had been overall better than Kelrian. This meant that Alleria would advise her to choose those for her training squad. So, she had to find a way to convince everyone why she wanted him for her group and not the others. He was a very talented young man and he would become very successful. She believed that he would make a fine addition to her team and the Farstriders in general. She only needed to make them believe that Kelrian would become an excellent Farstrider one day. She needed to convince them that he was worthy enough to become a member of her squad. She knew she would manage that.

But there was one last test which could change a lot. The one thousand feet sprint. Maybe Kelrian would be one of the fastest runners so Sylvanas didn't need to convince the other examiners that he would be a good addition to her team. She assumed that if he would reach the third-place he would be counted among the top five candidates. This would mean that Sylvanas didn't need to argue with Alleria about her choice to add him to her squad.

She hoped that Kelrian would cut a good figure in the sprint. If not, she had to signalize everyone once again that as Ranger-General she always got what she wanted. And she was very good at always getting what she wanted. Only her older sister dared to question her decisions. The others were too afraid that she would get mad at them.

She was very strict with others. She only revealed her true self to Kelrian but only when they were alone. He was a very special person in a positive way. He was shy, friendly and had a lot of potential. Sylvanas was the only one who had faith in him. She wanted to train him and get to know him better at the same time. She was pretty sure that he will become one of her best rangers one day. Maybe even more than that if her wishes would become true.

She was so lost in thoughts that she hadn't realized that everyone had gotten ready for departure. Her group was standing in front of her, regarding the dreamy Ranger-General with wide smiles on their faces. Alleria shook her head slightly and walked over to her sister. She regarded her for a few moments before she shoved her from the bench she was sitting on.

An indignant shout was hearable as Sylvanas landed on her ass. She got up immediately, rubbing her rear as she looked at her sister who was giving her a mocking grin.

"Come, sleepyhead. We haven't got all day"

"Half the day is already other" reminded Sylvanas.

"That's why I'm telling you to hurry, dear sister"

"I know, I know" she responded, bending down to pick her bow up. "I've everything I need"

"Good" replied Alleria and headed east. Sylvanas and her group followed quickly. They noticed that all the other groups were already waiting for them as they reached the camp where the last test will take place. It was a long and wide track which was exactly one thousand feet long. There were enough running lanes that all candidates could run at the same time. Each candidate will run on a different lane so that nobody would hinder the other

Four years ago, Kelrian had reached the tenth place. This time he managed to reach fifth place. He was better than he had expected but worse than Sylvanas had hoped. She had hoped that he would reach at least the third place. Unfortunately, he had not. So Sylvanas was pretty sure that she had to explain to her sister why she wanted to take Kelrian in her team. Only imagining such a discussion already caused that her body slightly tensed up. She knew that there was no way of avoiding such a discussion.

One hour after the end of the examination, Sylvanas found herself in front of the largest tent of the military base in the near of Suncrown Village. The Quel'dorei waited for a few seconds before she entered the tent, walking directly to the table on which a blackboard with many magnets was lying. Sheets of paper, on which the names of the candidates had been written, were pinned to the blackboard.

Sylvanas took a quick glance at the list, on which the names of the best twenty-five of two hundred candidates were written. The examiners had established the best twenty-five candidates by voting.

"Look who is back" announced Alleria, giving her sister a teasing grin. "I hope you didn't take your frustration out on an innocent ranger"

Sylvanas tilted her head, giving her sister a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

Alleria just smiled at her without giving her a verbal reply. She shifted her attention back to the board, ignoring Sylvanas. One of Sylvanas' best rangers, a female with the name Verena, looked at Alleria and reminded her that she had to answer the Ranger-General if she asked her something. She insisted that Alleria would answer her sister but Sylvanas said that everything was fine so Verena stopped reminding Alleria.

Verena nodded but didn't stop signalizing Alleria that she didn't like her cocky behaviour. She may be the Ranger-General's sister and a well-respected Ranger-Captain but that didn't give her the permission to ignore the Ranger-General of Silvermoon. At least was that Verena's opinion. Sylvanas, on the other hand, didn't mind at all.

Most citizens of Quel'Thalas admired Sylvanas and would do everything she demanded from her even if they had to give their lives. Verena was no exception. She admired the Ranger-General as well and supported her as best as she could. Verena was not only one of Sylvanas' best rangers but also had she known her since her youth. She was considered as her best friend and most estimated advisor in battle tactics and real-life decisions.

Two decades ago, rumours about the two had appeared out of nowhere. These rumours had been spread quickly so that half a year later almost every citizen of Quel'Thalas had believed that they were lovers. In Quel'Thalas, a relationship between members of the same sex was unusual but not undesirable. Normally, people of Quel'Thalas wouldn't have minded if an average ranger would have gotten involved with a member of the same sex.

But because Sylvanas Windrunner - The Sylvanas Windrunner - was involved, people had gossiped about it until Sylvanas couldn't hear it anymore. Most of the rumours had died away when Sylvanas rejected the proposal of Verena. Some of the rumour spreaders had believed that this had been only a trick to make sure that people would stop gossiping about them. Others believed that Sylvanas had broken up with Verena because she couldn't handle the stress and pressure which had lasted on her shoulders.

If Sylvanas had been involved with Verena or not was her secret. Not even Alleria knew the truth. She had told Sylvanas over and over again that she wouldn't mind if she loved women as well. Still, Sylvanas had refused to tell Alleria the truth even though she had been persistent and gotten on her nerves her for a few years. In the end, she had gotten tired of asking Sylvanas over and over again and had stopped asking her. Lover or not, Verena was Sylvanas' best friend so it was only natural that she got upset when someone dared to question Sylvanas.

Sylvanas' eyes rested on the name next to rank twelve. She couldn't believe that everyone but her and Verena wasn't convinced that Kelrian was skilled enough for rank five. She had voted for him but in the end, the others had won three to two. Sylvanas and Verena had been outvoted. Sylvanas was the Ranger-General so she could ultimately decide who would get in which regiment but she couldn't decide who was the best and who the worst candidate. Each examiner had different opinions about the candidates. To prevent that someone would get upset, it was preferred to decide the placing democratically.

In the end, Alleria, Ranger-Lieutenant Velon and Ranger-Captain Jayne had voted to place Kelrian on rank twelve. But that didn't mean anything. Nothing was decided yet. Normally, Sylvanas would take the best five candidates for her personal recruits. Only sometimes, she took four of the best and another candidate she believed had enough potential.

Again, nobody would question her decisions except for Alleria. That was the reason why Sylvanas ignored her this time when Alleria asked if they should roll the dice to find out who could select the first candidate for his or her group.

Alleria asked her the same question again, grinning widely. This time, Sylvanas responded to her. "No, we won't do that. You only want to do because you hope that someone will choose Kelrian for his or her group before I can. I know that you and your friends have conspired against me"

"I don't know why you think that he is so special. He has talent but he is not one of the best candidates. He is only rank twelve. Normally you don't take any candidate with a rank lower than ten. You are carrying too much for him. You are favouring him for a reason we cannot understand. We don't think he is worthy enough to become a member of your squad. There are many others which would become better rangers with your help than this teenager"

"Stop calling him a teenager. He is sixty-three years old" exclaimed Sylvanas, looking slightly upset.

Alleria chuckled, regarding her baby sister for a few moments before she responded. "He is still underage by our laws"

"You know that a lot of our laws are just stupid. The average high elf looks and behaves like an adult with already twenty-five years. Most of the times it is pretty hard to tell who is a teenager and who is an adult so most people don't care at all"

"The laws are there for a reason" responded Alleria with a smirk on her lips.

"Stop distracting me, sister. I can't understand that you don't have faith in him. Kelrian will be one of our best rangers one day if he trains hard enough. Believe me. I have never been wrong about recruits with a lot of potential. All of them became successful Farstriders.

"You are right, sister. But not in this case. Whenever you had predicted that someone will become a very talented ranger it came true. We've always seen the same talent in the candidates as you've seen. But this time, for the first time, we can't retrace what you see in him. We can't decide anything but we advise you to choose someone else. Kelrian won't be the extraordinary ranger you want him to be. He will be better than the average ranger but he won't be one of the best. Never ever"

Sylvanas' clenched her left fist behind her back, biting her bottom lip hard. She couldn't believe that nobody except for Verena had put their trust in Kelrian. Sylvanas had never been wrong about her predictions. She knew that Kelrian would become one of the most skilled Farstriders one day. But for some reason, her sister and her friends weren't seeing the same.

For a few moments, she doubted her talent for assessing the skills of a person. New thoughts came in her mind. Maybe she was wrong for the first time since the start of her carrier as Ranger-General and instructor. Maybe Alleria was right. Maybe Alleria's assessment was right, contrary to hers. Maybe she was overrating Kelrian.

More doubts came up but she banished them out of her head eventually. She was Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner and she had never been wrong about her predictions. She knew that Kelrian will become an extraordinary ranger. Nobody will change her mind about that. Nobody. Not even Alleria.

Sylvanas was a lot more relaxed than a few moments earlier but still a bit upset at the same time. "I don' really need to listen to your advices about him because it's my right as the Ranger-General and as the BEST archer of Quel'Thalas to choose the group I want to train before any of you can throw dices for who is allowed to choose first"

Alleria lifted her hands apologizingly. " We just want to prevent that you make a terrible mistake"

"A mistake?" Sylvanas raised her voice, tilting her head. "A mistake? I don't do mistakes"

Alleria put her hand on her sister's shoulder, giving her a sympathetic smile. "Believe me, everyone makes mistakes. Nobody is perfect. Not even you. I know a lot of your admirers who would hate me for this statement but it's the truth"

"I know that I'm not perfect... Okay, maybe I do mistakes as well but not so often as others. Anyways, I'm one hundred percent sure that choosing Kelrian is no mistake. It feels right for me"

Alleria shrugged with her shoulders. "If you think so. It's your choice. But don't come to me a few years later and confess to me that you have been wrong"

Sylvanas frowned. "Don't worry, I won't".

"Fine, so we can finally choose which candidate will be trained by who. Not to mention that we also have to assign who will join which regiment. We have two hundred recruits in total which means this could take a while if we keep discussing like this"

This time Verena responded instead of Sylvanas. "I think we all share similar opinions about the other one hundred and seventy-five recruits. I think assigning the best twenty-five recruits will require the most time. The meeting should be over shortly after nightfall if everything goes as planned. So, we could announce tomorrow who will join which unit"

"Let's hope that everything goes as planned" repeated Alleria.

And everything went as planned. The meeting didn't endure for more than two additional hours. Everything had been discussed and all five examiners had come to an agreement. Kelrian became a member of Sylvanas' group as well as Zetai, Kelia and two others who also belonged to the top five.

Sylvanas was happy about the outcome. Of course, she didn't need to be relieved because she would have gotten her will anyways. Still, she showed her best friend that she was more than happy. Together with Verena, she walked to the nearest mage, asking for a portal. The mage created a portal for them, allowing them to step through it for free.

They arrived in Windrunner Village a few moments later. Sylvanas said goodbye to her best friend as she pulled her in a tight hug, kissing her left cheek softly. Verena smiled as she pulled away and began walking home. Sylvanas waved at her until she couldn't see her anymore then she went the other way, reaching her family's house within five minutes. It was pretty dark outside but the large house was illuminated well-enough that nobody could miss it.

The house was made out of white marble and decorated with lots of wall paintings. The house had three floors and an additional lower level which was used as the cellar. The house's form was round and the red roof was domed.

Sylvanas greeted the two guards at the gate as she passed the large front garden, which was regularly tended by her mother. The guards greeted her in return, opening the main entrance for her. Sylvanas thanked them and hurried through the adjacent long corridor without making a sound.

She came to the staircase, climbing it without hesitation. She followed the bordering corridor until she came to her room. She unlocked the door, entered her room and locked it after closing it. She removed her clothes until she wore only blue panties and a matching bra which hugged her D-Cup breasts tightly.

She got in her bed, laid down and covered herself with her sky-blue blanket. She closed her eyes because she wanted to fall asleep quickly. But sleep avoided her. She started to summarize the whole day in her mind, remembering what had happened overall. Most of the times she remembered what Kelrian had done.

She saw him shooting precise arrows at the aiming target. She remembered how he had hit the deer and how good he had been at fighting in close combat. She also remembered that he had run faster than most of the nineteen candidates.

But what came always up in her mind when she tried to think about something else, was the sight of the wet Kelrian who had freshly gotten out of the water. The way the water had accentuated his muscles and made him appear a lot sexier fascinated her. Even the image of Kelrian in his swimming trunks didn't want to leave her mind. She tried hard to think about something else. She wanted to imagine the dumbfounded face Alleria had made when Sylvanas had decided to ignore her advises and choose Kelrian for her group.

She remembered how good Zetai, Elonis and Elena had been during the exam. They had also proved that they had a lot of talent and would make fine rangers as well.

Once again, she started to think about the priest son who wanted to become a Farstrider. She realized that it was impossible to suppress this one certain memory because every time she tried to think about something else, this one memory came in her mind.

She imagined how the many water drops ran down his muscular chest, over his iron-hard abs to the waistband of his swimming trunks which was probably hiding something big. For some reason, she was now imaging him putting sun cream on his upper body and rubbing it all over his skin in the sexiest way possible. She imagined that he would do the same to her but he applied the sun cream on her entire body.

Her blue eyes shot open when she realized that her left hand was currently resting between her legs. She also realized that two of her skilled fingers weren't just resting on her most sacred place. They were inside her. Sylvanas shook her head, disbelieving that her hand had acted on its own. She drew her fingers out carefully, hoping that moving her fingers wouldn't cause something big.

But it was already too late. A single move of her index finger was enough to cause that a wave of pleasure rushed through the body of the very aroused Quel'dorei. Kelrian's name left her lips and her eyes closed as she received the reward for reaching her peak. Sylvanas' body relaxed eventually, her breathing became slower. She drew her fingers out, cleaning them with a handkerchief.

She decided to not think about what had just happened because it would make her feel bad. She decided to pretend that this didn't happen, that she didn't enjoy herself while she had thought of her newest subordinate. She wrapped her blanket tightly around her body and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes as she started to relax. Not much time had passed as she fell asleep eventually.


	5. Difficulties

"It has to be somewhere" muttered Kelrian as regarded the large board in front of him. He looked for the lists which contained the names of the candidates who had passed the tests. Sylvanas had already told him that he had passed the exam but she hadn't told him which regiment he would join. He wanted to know so badly in which regiment he will be and who will train him. He hoped that Sylvanas would be his instructor but he had a bad feeling that someone else would become his instructor. Someone who wasn't Sylvanas.

He was already excited but at the same time, he was afraid that he wouldn't get Sylvanas Windrunner, the best archer of Quel'Thalas, as his mentor. He assumed that he would become a very skilful and successful Farstrider if he would be able to learn from the best ranger. Another reason why he wanted Sylvanas as his instructor was that he was attracted by her beautiful appearance. He hoped to be able to admire her beautiful face and her well-formed body every day if he would become a member of the group she will train.

He was already glad that he had been accepted so he wouldn't be disappointed if he would get someone else. But getting Sylvanas as his mentor would be the cherry on the cake.

He was still looking over the many documents which overfilled the board, trying to find the lists he was looking for. But for some reason, he didn't find them even though he had been looking at the board for over twenty minutes.

"You are standing in front of the wrong board" said a familiar voice. He turned around, his eyes widened and a blush appeared on his face when he caught sight of Sylvanas Windrunner who was standing right in front of him.

She was wearing her casual blue Ranger-General uniform. Her hood was pulled down which allowed Kelrian to observe her exposed golden-blonde hair. The sunbeams which fell on her hair made it look more majestic than it already was. Her hair was so beautiful that it would even make the sun envious.

Kelrian needed a few moments to pull himself together so that he was able to speak without stuttering.

"Ranger General, it's nice to meet you. Is it just me or do you get even more beautiful with each day passing day?" Kelrian asked nervously, rubbing the back of his head with his left hand. His blush became redder when he realized what he had just said to her.

He had met her just four times in eight years but he had spoken more often with her than other candidates had. Still, he had never complimented her looks before. He hadn't intended to compliment her. Of course, he thought that Sylvanas' beauty deserved to be complimented but still he hadn't planned on doing it to prevent that things would become awkward. But now it was too late. The words had already left his mouth and had reached her ears. Her perfect, long and pointed ears.

His body relaxed a little, his heartbeat became slower until it beat with normal speed as he noticed the smile on Sylvanas' perfect lips which were covered by a thin layer of peach coloured lipstick. It didn't seem that she was mad at him or hated him for saying that. Why should she? It was only normal for her to receive lots of compliments from numerous admirers every day.

Kelrian was just hoping that she wasn't regarding him as one of her numerous worshippers. He didn't want her to think that he only admired her because of her appearance or her reputation.

He also found her really likable. He had met her only four times in eight years but he had talked enough with her to know that she was a very kind, smart and funny person. He had heard that Sylvanas was mostly serious whenever she talked with someone who didn't belong to her family. So, it had really surprised him that she had been relaxed and very open with him at their first meeting. He had never heard that she had behaved like this to someone else, who didn't belong to her family, so he was wondering why she was behaving like this when he was around.

"Thank you, Kelrian" responded Sylvanas. Her perfect smile became wider, as she put a strand of hair behind her left ear while looking directly at the young elf. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, thanks for asking. How are you doing, Ranger-General?"

"I'm fine as well"

Kelrian returned her smile, giving his best to look at Sylvanas' beautiful face without needing to blush. It didn't work quite well as he had hoped but at least he didn't look strange.

"Are you looking for the lists where you can find out who joins which regiment?"

"Yes, I do. How do you know that?

Sylvanas laughed amused. "Because there is no other explanation why you would visit the Farstrider Enclave the next day after the examination"

"You are right" responded Kelrian, laughing nervously about his own foolishness.

Sylvanas chuckled. "It's not on this board. I can tell you where you can find it but I can also just tell you right now in which regiment you are"

"That would be nice, Ranger-General"

"You are in regiment one"

His eyes widened and his heart began to beat faster when he remembered that regiment one was led by Sylvanas herself. Could it be possible? Could it be real? Could he become one of Sylvanas' recruits? He would be more than happy if that would happen. He had hoped for that since he had decided to become a Farstrider. He was silently praying that Sylvanas had chosen him for her group. He knew that there were a lot of candidates who had been better than him. Still, he wasn't losing hope. He prayed to the light that Sylvanas had chosen him.

"I'm in your regiment" statemented Kelrian. "I'm proud to become a member of your regiment"

"I think you can be also proud that you made it in the new squad I will train" responded Sylvanas, smiling when she spotted the surprised expression on his handsome face. She chuckled, put her hand on his right shoulder and brought him back to the present.

"Sorry, I was lost in thoughts" muttered Kelrian, lowering his head ashamed.

"It's okay"

"I want you to know that I'm very happy that you allow me to be trained by you. I have always dreamed of this for eight years. I'm so excited that I don't really know what to response"

"You don't need to say anything. I'm glad that you managed to pass the examination. Not every person would have tried it again after failing the examination two times in a row. I admire you for your staying power".

Admiring him.

She was admiring him.

SHE was admiring him.

Sylvanas Windrunner - THE Sylvanas Windrunner - was admiring him.

He had heard the words but he didn't trust his ears. He must have misheard. Or didn't he? Was she really admiring him? Had she really complimented him?

This was too much for him. His heart was pulsing rapidly in his chest, his breaths were fast and short. His skin was a lot warmer and tingled nervously. He still couldn't believe that she had complimented him. This was the best day of his life. He was about to become a member of Sylvanas' squad and had received a compliment from her. This was more than could ever dream of.

Sylvanas was still smiling at Kelrian who had become silent after she had made this compliment. Kelrian returned her smile and stared into her beautiful eyes. He turned his head eventually, checking his surroundings.

A lot of people were standing in front of the board on the other side of the room. He was asking himself how he could have missed it. Maybe because he had been too nervous. Maybe because of something else...He wasn't able to find a logical explanation.

He looked back at Sylvanas, finding out that she was still smiling at him. For some reason, nobody was paying attention to them so he was able to smile back at her without being pierced by dozens of glances.

"Have you filled out the agreement?" she asked curiously.

"Of course, I did" he responded and pulled the backpack from his back. He opened it and fished out a folder. He opened the folder, took out a document and handed it to Sylvanas.

She took it carefully, reading over it. A frown appeared on her forehead.

"Is something wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"You can't sign with your own name. You are underage so a relative has to sign for you"

"Seriously?"

"Yes" responded Sylvanas. "I can't make an exception for you because our laws say that you need a relative to sign any vocational training contract as long as you are a minor"

"That sucks, I didn't know that"

"You should speak to your family and ask them to sign for you"

"My father and my mother would never sign. They want me to be a priest and not a Farstrider"

"Even after you failed the exam twice?" she asked doubtingly.

"They want me to practice harder. The pride of our family makes them blind for the truth. I have no talent when it comes to the use of light. The light has forsaken me. But I'm not sad about that. Of course, I don't like that my parents and my older brother despise me. Not to mention that my father has thrown me out of our home and only allows me to return when I become a priest. But other than that, I'm fine. I want to become a Farstrider so badly... But my parents or my siblings will never sign. My younger sister and brother may support me but their still minors so they can't sign for me. My aunts and uncles are very too close to my father. They wouldn't want to risk that he would get mad at them"

Sylvanas made a thoughtful face as she listened to him. "Isn't there anyone who is not so close to your parents? Is there anyone who would sign for you?"

This time, Kelrian was the one who made a thoughtful face. "Well, I'm currently living in the house of my distant cousin. I guess you know her. Her name is Liadrin"

"Yeah, I know her. She is also a famous servant of the light, like every other member of your family"

"Liadrin is not in Suncrown Village at the moment. I know she travelled somewhere to take care of the apprentices of a friend but I've no clue where she could be"

Sylvanas put a hand on his shoulder, giving him a comforting smile. "Don't worry. I will find her and ask her to sign for you. But first, I will speak to your parents. Maybe I can convince them to allow you to become a Farstrider. You have a lot of talent. It would be a waste if you couldn't join us"

Kelrian's face showed a small smile for a moment before his expression became worried. "My parents are very stubborn. I don't think they will change their minds, even if you give them convincing arguments"

"Don't worry, I am pretty good at convincing stubborn people. I can try it at least. Even if I won't manage to convince them, I can still look for Liadrin and ask her"

"That would be great" responded Kelrian, giving her his brightest smile.

Sylvanas returned the smiling, patting his right shoulder softly. "Don't worry. You will be able to join us. Promised"

She regarded him for a few moments. "I will invite you to my office when I have solved the problem. Would that be okay?"

Kelrian nodded, giving her his brightest smile.

She smiled as well. "See you soon, Kelrian"

"See you soon, Ranger-General"

* * *

"You are allowed to enter" shouted a strong male voice behind the door. Sylvanas did as she was told, opening the door and entering the room. She came into an expensively furnished office in which half a dozen shelves were standing in front of the left wall. Lots of painting hung on the right walls, even a blue tapestry decorated the opposite wall. In the middle of the room stood a large desk made out of the rarest wood in the Eastern Kingdoms.

Behind this desk sat a man with long blond hair. The colour of his expensive robe looked similar to the colour of his blue glowing eyes. He had defined, handsome facial features which hid his age perfectly. He was over six hundred years old but he looked much younger. Compared with a human male he looked like he was at the age of thirty. Like all high elves, aged slowly. Very slowly.

Sylvanas was pretty sure that he already knew that she had entered the room, still, he refused to look up from the document he was reading. After a few moments he finally looked up, a small smile appeared on his lips when he spotted her.

He got up and walked over to her, bowing down in front of her. He took her left hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly. He held her hand longer than necessary, rubbing its back with his thumb. Sylvanas frowned but didn't do anything. She just regarded him, wondering when he will finally let go of her hand.

The man stood up after two minutes of having held her hand, allowing her to draw her hand back. "It's an honour to meet you, Ranger-General. I welcome you in my office and in my home" he said.

"Thank you, Mister Sunsinger. It's an honour for me as well to meet the head of the Sunsinger family, the best priests of Quel'Thalas, in person for the first time" responded Sylvanas politely, giving the priest a small smile.

"Come take a seat" he said as he pointed at the chair in front of his desk. Sylvanas nodded and sat down, crossing her left leg over the other. She put her hands on her lap, looking at Kelrian's father who walked to the nearest cupboard which reached to his hip.

He opened the first drawer and pulled two glasses and a wine bottle out of it. He returned to his desk, putting the bottle in the middle of the table while he put one glass in front of Sylvanas and one next to the stack of documents he had been working on. He lifted the stack and put it on the ground then he sat down on his chair and filled both glasses with enough wine.

He seemed to be a very friendly and welcoming person. That was the first impression Sylvanas had gotten from him. But lots of persons she had met had left a good impression at first before they had revealed their true natures. Sylvanas had enough life experience to know that looks can be deceiving.

Kelrian's father Xenarion seemed to be a very friendly person. But Sylvanas knew that he was not the friendly man he seemed to be. She knew that he had thrown his own son out of his house because he didn't pass the priest examinations. He was regarding Kelrian as a shame because he was not good enough to be a priest.

Kelrian had to live in his cousin's house because his family, at least his parents, didn't want him around. Sylvanas didn't want to judge too quickly but she was pretty sure that this man was not the sort of a father everyone wanted to have.

Sylvanas didn't care if Xenarion was caring for his other children and would do everything to make them to excellent priests. She didn't care if he was a good husband and a good father to his other children. She thought that there would be nothing which would change her opinion about him. He had rejected his own son, there wouldn't be any explanation for his decision which could justify it.

But Sylvanas didn't want to be prejudiced against him so she decided to listen to him and speak with him about Kelrian. She was hoping that she could convince him to sign the agreement for Kelrian's admission.

Xenarion brought his glass to his lips and took a sip, signalizing Sylvanas that she could take a sip if she wanted. Sylvanas wasn't sure if consuming alcohol was right in this situation but as long as she didn't drink too much, she should be fine. She mimicked him and took a sip as well.

Xenarion gave her his brightest smile as he put the glass back on the desk. "I've seen you a lot of times from the far whenever you and your rangers made a short stop in Suncrown Village or when you looked for recruits. You are way more beautiful than the last time I've seen you"

Sylvanas placed her glass in front of her, putting her hands on her lap. "Thank you, Mister Sunsinger"

"Please call me, Xenarion" he responded, smiling widely.

"As you wish, Xenarion"

His smile became wider. "It's a shame that we never met before because we're are always busy"

"It's a shame indeed"

"So, what gives me the honour to finally meet the most beautiful women of Quel'Thalas?" he asked curiously, giving her a playful smile.

_He's charming, you have to give him that. He knows how to speak to a woman_ thought Sylvanas. But she knew better than getting manipulated by him. She knew better than getting manipulated by his charming words. Maybe he was not as bad as she thought. She had to listen to what he had to say and then she could form an opinion about him.

"I'm here because of your son" she responded simply.

"Do you mean my oldest son Seitor?" he asked, wondering what she could want from him.

"No, not him"

"So, my youngest son Sindor?"

"I didn't mean him either"

His facial features derailed when he realized that she was speaking of Kelrian. He leaned back, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He didn't look like the super-friendly guy anymore. He reminded Sylvanas more of an upset child. A very upset child.

He was chewing on his bottom lip as he stared at her. She had the impression that he was thinking about something. Maybe he was, she couldn't know that because she couldn't read his mind and she was glad about that. She didn't want to know what he was thinking about at this very moment.

"Are you sure you want to talk about HIM?" he asked as politely as he could. At least he wasn't rude. Not yet at least. Sylvanas didn't respond verbally, she just nodded.

"Why him and not Seitor?" he asked, sounding upset.

"Because I'm not here to look for good priests for the Farstriders. I'm here because your son Kelrian has a lot of potential..."

"He does not have any potential" interrupted Xenarion, not allowing Sylvanas to complete her sentence. "He failed the priest selection two times and as far as I know he failed the Farstrider examination two times as well"

"He passed the examination this year" added Sylvanas before Xenarion was able to say negative things about Kelrian.

"Did he?" If he was surprised, he didn't show it. He was regarding Sylvanas with narrowed eyes, signalizing her that he was not believing her.

"He did. He was better than expected. He was so good that I've decided that he could join my regiment. He can also become a member of my new squad, which means that I can personally train him and make sure that he will become one of the best Farstriders one day" explained Sylvanas.

"I don't really care" Xenarion muttered, staring angrily at his hands.

"Excuse me?"

"I don't want him to become a Farstrider" he responded, looking directly at her this time.

She tilted her head, regarding him with narrowed eyes. "But why? He would become a well-respected and successful Farstrider"

"I don't want him to become a Farstrider" he repeated louder this time. "He is supposed to become a priest or a paladin. I don't want that he becomes an archer who rummages through the dirt to find the footprints of trolls and wolves"

Sylvanas bit her bottom lip hard, trying to hide that she was obviously offended by his statement. It didn't work quite well but Xenarion didn't care that he had offended her and all other Farstriders.

"You know that we protect the inhabitants of our kingdom, right? We don't rummage through the dirt and follow traces. We do much more. We make it possible that our people can live in peace without needing to fear that orcs or trolls would attack them"

"If you say so" responded Xenarion. He didn't feel sorry for having insulted the Farstriders. He didn't intend to apologize for his behaviour. He behaved as Sylvanas had expected. He was a complete asshole which didn't pay the necessary respect for the Farstriders and the necessary work they were doing to protect the citizens of Quel'Thalas.

"How it comes that I still have to take care of so many injured people if you and your Farstriders are protecting our home?" he asked.

Sylvanas assumed that he thought he was better than the Farstriders. She assumed that he blames the Farstriders for not being able to save everyone. It could be possible that he thought the Farstriders didn't do their task properly because people were still getting killed or injured and ended in the hospitals where he was working most of the times.

The truth was that the Farstriders were doing their best to save as many lives as possible. But they couldn't save everyone because Quel'Thalas was too large and the Farstriders hadn't enough rangers to protect every single village and important street. From time to time, trolls and orcs sneaked in their land and attacked villages and farms. Most of the times the Farstriders managed to kill these intruders before something bad happened.

But sometimes, the attackers were faster and killed inhabitants before the Farstriders even knew about their presence. Sylvanas and her Farstriders did everything in their powers to protect as many inhabitants as possible but it was impossible to save everyone. Without them, tens of thousands would have died over the past years by troll or orc attacks.

Sylvanas hated it that Xenarion didn't respect what she and the Farstriders did. He was despising them for whatever reason. But Sylvanas knew better than arguing with him about the necessity of the Farstriders. Kelrian's father was too stubborn to give in. She decided to let him think whatever he wanted. She was here to convince him to sign the agreement, not to argue with him.

"I don't want to argue with you about what we are doing right or wrong. I'm here because I want to tell you that Kelrian would make a good Farstrider"

"And?"

"I want to ask you if you would sign his agreement so that is allowed to join us"

Xenarion leaned forward, regarding Sylvanas with narrowed eyes and a strict face. "As I've said, I don't want him to be a Farstrider. He is my son so he will either become a priest or a paladin. He is not suitable for shooting arrows and hunting boars and wolves"

"I decide if he is suitable to be a Farstrider. Not you. I've witnessed his development over the past eight years. I put my trust in him and he has not disappointed me. He told me that he is not good enough to be a servant of the light. Trying to make him a priest or a paladin would be a waste of time. You know there is nothing wrong about being a Farstrider. He won't shame your family if he becomes one of us. He..." spoke Sylvanas but she was interrupted once again by the rude male.

"He has already ashamed our family by failing both priest selections. He is unable to use the light in general so he can't even become a paladin"

"I would like to argue with you about this but this would lead us to nowhere. Your son won't be a shame for your family if you allow him to become a Farstrider. He will defend the innocents and defenceless and he will help us defeat the trolls and orcs one day. He will honour your family by receiving victory with us. Think about it" spoke Sylvanas, hoping that this was enough to convince him.

Unfortunately, it wasn't. Xenarion's facial expression hadn't changed at all over the past few minutes. He was still having this upset look on his face and he didn't look like he wanted to cooperate.

"I want my son to train harder until he will be good enough to become a servant of the light. I would go so far and try to speak with the human paladin and priest trainers. Maybe they are able to show my son how to use the light correctly. My son is too weak to use the light even though I've tried to train him. Maybe I was not strict enough. I should have trained him harder"

He made a pause, looking at her. His eyes widened as if something has come in his mind. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms in front of his chest, smiling at her dirtily. Sylvanas tilted her head, regarding him with narrowed eyes. She was wondering what was going on in his mind. She was sure that she didn't want to know what he was thinking at this very moment.

He spoke eventually after being silent for two minutes. "Maybe we can solve this _little problem_ in some other way" he spoke, smiling mischievously.

"What are you talking about?" asked Sylvanas. She didn't seem to be convinced that Kelrian's father would have a real solution to solve this problem. She could only assume that he had something dirty in his mind.

"I could see myself signing this stupid agreement if I get something in return" he spoke, still smiling at her like this.

"What would that be?"

Xenarion's smirk became wider. He leaned forward, putting his hand under her chin. He lifted it a bit and caressed it with his fingers. "You"

Sylvanas' eyes narrowed once again, her lips were pressed together to a thin line.

"Do I look like a common whore to you?" she snarled aggressively. She was unable to hide her anger and the disgust she was feeling.

He laughed. "Of course not. You look much prettier than a common whore"

This was enough for Sylvanas. She had shown lots of patience with this man. She hadn't said a word when he had insulted Kelrian and the Farstriders in general. She had kept her mouth shut about everything he had said so far. But this was too much for her.

How could he dare to offer to sign the agreement in exchange for sex? First of all, he was married. He was the father of the young man Sylvanas admired so much and she was the Ranger-General of Silvermoon. She was not a common whore who worked in a brothel. She was no whore in general. She didn't sell her body to achieve what she wanted. She always got what she wanted without needing to use her gorgeous body.

This man wasn't taking her serious nor did he pay the necessary respect for her. Sylvanas hated only one thing: Being taunted and insulted by others. She stood up abruptly and connected the palm of her left hand with his cheek. The slap had been so forceful that a red mark in the form of a hand was left on his cheek.

"Don't you dare to ever insult me or the Farstriders again or I will hit you again but harder next time" she hissed. She stared at Xenarion whose face was distorted in pain but in anger as well. She stared into his hateful eyes for a few seconds before she turned around and walked out of his office, slamming the door behind her.


	6. Fulfilment

Sylvanas arrived at the place where the person she was looking for had been seen last. She was standing right in front of a small village in the south-east of Quel'Thalas. The village consisted of a maximum of ten small houses, which meant that the survey of the villagers would not take too long. That came in handy for Sylvanas because she had travelled for two days without getting much sleep.

Unfortunately, she hadn't found a mage in the near of Suncrown village. She wouldn't have ridden for two days if she would have had the opportunity to take a portal. But mages were a rarity outside Silvermoon City. It was hard to find a mage outside the capital city who was skilled enough to create portals alone.

Sylvanas would have taken a portal if she would have found a mage. She could have gone back to Silvermoon City to look out there for a mage. It would have been a lot easier to find a mage in Silvermoon City because most mages were living and training there.

But she had decided against it because she would have arrived earlier in this village than in Silvermoon City. She had only managed that because she had only slept for two or three hours every day. Nevertheless, she had arrived at the village earlier this way.

Sylvanas had tied her horse to a pillar of a wooden fence which surrounded a large wheat field. At this very moment, she regarded her surroundings as she entered the village, walking to the nearest house. She didn't hesitate to ask the occupant about Lady Liadrin.

The man, who was living alone in his house, told her that he had never seen the person Sylvanas had described. He apologized to her, signalizing her that he was deeply sorry that he couldn't help her. Sylvanas told him that everything was fine. She said goodbye to him before she turned around and walked to the next house, which was also made of simple wood.

She had to question every single inhabitant of the small village to find a hint about the woman she was looking for. A young hunter told her that he had seen High Priestess Liadrin in the near of the river with four priest apprentices. Sylvanas thanked him, gave him a small bag of coins, and returned to her horse.

Her horse was a large stallion with brown fur and a black mane. He was taller, more muscular and faster than every other horse she had ever seen. She had named him Winddancer because it looked as if he was dancing with the wind whenever he galloped. Sylvanas untied him and put her left hand on his head. She closes her eyes as she pressed her forehead against his head, stroking his nose carefully.

It may sound stupid but she believed that she had a spiritual connection to the horse. Most of the times, she didn't need to tell Dancer where he had to bring her. For some reason, he knew almost every time where Sylvanas wanted to go as if he could read her mind, which he obviously couldn't do. As a high elf, the animals and nature itself were very important for Sylvanas. But Dancer was more than a normal horse for her. He was not only a transportation tool. He was her friend as stupid as it sounded. She felt a close connection to him.

She stroked over his fur, his nose and his head in general. She gave him an apple, smiling as she watched him eating the fruit with pleasure. She waited for a few moments before she swung onto his back. She took the reins in her hands but she didn't pull them nor did she needed to ram her heels in his side. She didn't need to spur Dancer to make him move. The strong horse began to move without a command, carrying Sylvanas in the exact direction where she wanted to go.

After a while, they reached the long and wide river Sylvanas was looking for. She dismounted, bending down to look for footprints on the ground. She found footprints of five different persons. Two of these footprints were a lot deeper than the others. Sylvanas concluded that at least two males belonged to the group. She got up, signalizing Dancer to follow her. The horse didn't hesitate to walk behind her, stopping whenever she stopped to observe the course of the footprints.

After following these footprints for an additional hour, Sylvanas finally found the group which had left these footprints. She spotted two men and three women, kneeling next to an injured deer. Their larger physique was the only thing which distinguished the males of this group from their female counterparts. With their long hair and their shaved faces, they looked like women from afar. Only when Sylvanas became closer to the group, she recognized the two red-heads as males.

It was clearly visible who were the apprentices and who was the instructor. The apprentices wore simple yellow coloured robes while the robe of the instructor was made out of silk which had a much better quality than the material out of which the apprentices' clothes were made. Also, the robe of the instructor was decorated with golden embroideries and gems which had been embroidered into the sleeves of the robe.

At this very moment, the instructor showed her group how to heal an injured deer which was unable to stand up alone. Sylvanas leaned against a tree not far away from the group and regarded them. The instructor didn't need long to heal the wounded animal. She helped the deer up, guiding it to the river so it could drink some water. The instructor said something to her group, turning her head to Sylvanas when she finally noticed her. She gave her group the signal to wait for her as she headed over to Sylvanas.

Sylvanas' lips formed a smile when the familiar person came closer to her. She regarded her from head to toe, noticing that she hadn't changed at all over the past two decades.

Her light-brown, almost orange coloured hair was tied up in a ponytail. Her face was flawless, her skin was smooth and had a natural colour which was similar to the colour of peaches. There was no real difference between the colour of the person's eyes and the colour of Sylvanas' eyes. The woman's lips were covered by red lipstick which matched perfectly with her hair colour.

This beautiful woman looked peaceful and didn't give Sylvanas the impression that she was looking for trouble. She stopped right in front of Sylvanas, who was one head taller than her. She regarded her from head to toe, the smirk she was having on her lips since she had spotted the Ranger General didn't vanish.

"You are looking good, Ranger-General" complimented the priestess.

"You look great as well, High Priestess Liadrin. Feel free to call me Sylvanas. We know each other since a while, so there is no need to be formal"

"If you say so" responded Liadrin. "To what do I owe the honour that you take the long way from Suncrown to this area? It has to be very important if you come personally instead of sending someone to get me to your office in Silvermoon City" Liadrin regarded Sylvanas curiously, wondering about the reason for her visit.

"I'm here because I need your help"

"My help?" she asked, tilting her head curiously.

"I'm pretty sure you know that your distant cousin has tried to become a Farstrider"

"I've heard that he has failed two examinations in a row but he has proved that he has more talent as a ranger than a servant of the Light" responded Liadrin, still giving Sylvanas a curious look.

"He passed the exam three days ago" responded Sylvanas. It was hard for her to hide how happy she was that he had passed the exam.

Liadrin raised an eyebrow, making a slightly doubtful expression. "Did he really?"

"Yes, he did" burst out Sylvanas, not caring that she had overreacted.

The doubt on Liadrin's face disappeared and was replaced by pride. "Such good news. I'm glad that he made it. I had always feared that he would be the black sheep of the family but it seems that he has found his destiny. He doesn't need to be a priest or a paladin to make his family proud of him"

Sylvanas smile vanished. A slightly sad look appeared on her face. "The truth is that his parents are still despising him"

Liadrin's expression changed as well and became similar to Sylvanas'. "Oh, that's not good. I have hoped that his parents would support him at least when he finds something he is good at"

"I have hoped that as well. I even spoke with his father but I didn't manage to convince him to sign the agreement for Kelrian's admission.

"Xenarion can be... difficult sometimes"

Sylvanas tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "Only sometimes?"

"Okay, most of the times" corrected Liadrin.

"Better" said Sylvanas, giving the smaller woman a smile.

"So, you've come all this way to convince me to sign the agreement"

"Yes, that was my only intention. I need the signature as soon as possible or Kelrian is not allowed to join us. This would be a shame, considering that he is even under the best twenty-five"

"He is?" Liadrin asked surprised.

"Yes, I've even chosen him to be one of the recruits who have the honour to get trained by me"

"Is he that good?" asked Liadrin. She still couldn't believe that her distant cousin was that good.

Sylvanas smiled widely. "He is"

"Well, if you are convinced that he would make a fine ranger there is nothing I could say against it. Who am I that I would deny him a possible future as a successful and well-respected Farstrider?"

"So, would you sign for him?" asked Sylvanas. Hope was reflected by her eyes and clearly hearable in her voice.

"Of course, I will" responded Liadrin. "Let's get back to the village, then I will sign this agreement"

"That's all I wanted to hear" spoke Sylvanas, smiling widely at the priestess who returned her smile.

Half an hour later, they found themselves in a small hut in the middle of the village. The hut was sparsely furnished, only a table, two chairs and a small wardrobe stood in the living room. There was also a bedroom and a bath but other than them there were no other rooms. Sylvanas assumed that this was only a temporary place to stay for Liadrin.

She sat down on a chair, happily accepting the pot of tea Liadrin gave her. Liadrin took a seat on the other chair, crossing one leg over the other as she relaxed.

Sylvanas pulled a document out of a folder which she had taken out of her bag. Liadrin started to read the document as soon as Sylvanas had handed it over to her. She looked up to Sylvanas after she was done, noticing that she was regarded with a curious and at the same time expecting look.

"Don't worry, I will sign this agreement" assured Liadrin, smiling when she noticed that Sylvanas' body relaxed as her ears received her answer. She put the document on the table, walked over to a drawer and pulled a pen out. She walked back to the table, leaning over it so that she was able to sign the agreement. She handed it back to Sylvanas who accepted it happily. Sylvanas regarded the signature for a few moments before she put the document in the folder which she put in her bag. She stood up, walked over to Liadrin and hugged her.

She pulled back after a few moments, smiling at the obviously surprised priestess. "I didn't do much to deserve this hug from you, Sylvanas"

Sylvanas chucked. "You did more than you imagine. You are the only mature member of Kelrian's family who believes in him. His parents don't want him to become a Farstrider. His father has expressed clearly that he thinks that we Farstriders are doing nothing except for searching for traces in the dirt. I haven't spoken to his mother but I know this arrogant bitch since my youth, so I assume that she would agree with her husband" she made a small pause, giving Liadrin a thankful smile. "At least you believe in him"

"I do. I would rather see him becoming a priest. But if fate has chosen him to become a Farstrider then I see no reason in preventing that he could become one" spoke Liadrin.

"I thank you so much for signing"

"It was nothing, really" responded Liadrin, rubbing the back of her head as she returned Sylvanas' smile which almost reached from one ear to the other.

"I owe you a favour"

"You don't need to owe me anything. I'm not only doing it for you. I do it because I believe in Kelrian. I wouldn't have risked making my family's mad at me by allowing him to live in my house if I wouldn't believe in him. I wouldn't have put my signature under his agreement if I wouldn't believe in him. I hope he will hold out the stress and make it through the apprenticeship. I'm pretty sure that he will become a good Farstrider under your guidance"

Sylvanas chuckled. "I think that as well. That's why I'm doing everything in my power to enable that he can join the Farstriders and get trained by me"

"I'm glad that you think he has the talent of becoming a skilled ranger, Sylvanas. I've heard that your subordinates are not very convinced by his talent, especially your sister"

Sylvanas expression changed a bit but she still had a happy expression on her face. "Sadly, my sister and the other high ranked members don't think that he deserves my attention. They think that Kelrian would make a fine ranger but they don't believe that he would get better than anyone else. They don't think that he will become one of the best Farstriders one day. I don't know why they can't recognize his potential"

Liadrin made a thoughtful face. "I have no clue either. I've seen Kelrian practicing over the past eight years. He has gotten better and better from year to year. I believe he is worthy enough to be a member of the group you train personally. But don't forget that you have to be strict with him too. You may favour him but you should also make sure that everyone is treated equally. He won't become one of the best if you don't treat him like the others. A very strict training will be necessary for him"

"Thank you for the advice, Liadrin. Don't worry, I know better than spoiling him. The training will not be easy, even for him. But he will master it and become one of the best Farstriders under my watch. I will promise you that in the name of my family and my position as the Ranger-General of Silvermoon"

Liadrin patted Sylvanas' left shoulder softly, smiling at her. "I believe you. You will give everything to make him an extraordinary Farstrider"

"Yes, I will" responded Sylvanas.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" asked Liadrin curiously.

"Actually, there is something" responded Sylvanas and sat down on her chair.

Liadrin did the same. "Tell me" she requested. She took her cup of tea and brought it to her lips. Her eyes didn't leave Sylvanas' face as she took a sip of the delicious moonberry tea.

Sylvanas also took a sip of the tea, enjoying the delicious taste as it flowed down her throat. She put the cup back on the table, looking at the curious Liadrin. "I was wondering if you are busy in general. As far as I know, the apprentices you have accompanied are not yours"

"There are not mine that's right. These are the apprentices of a colleague who is sick at the moment. I have promised him to take care of them as long as he is sick. But he has gotten better other the past days so he will take over his group tomorrow" explained Liadrin.

"So, you have nothing to do at all?"

"I have no order to stay in a certain area and help the wounded there. Why are you asking?"

"I was wondering if you want to join the first regiment. We have noticed during the recent skirmishes against the orcs and trolls that is always good to have a healer with you. We have not enough healers for all regiments so I was hoping that you could try to convince as many healers as you can to join us. You can be the leader of the priests of regiment one and you can also be the main healer of my squad. Not the trainee squad. My real squad which consists of my best rangers" Sylvanas took another sip of her tea as she was done explaining.

"It would be an honour for me to join you, your squad and your regiment"

"It would also be an honour for me to have the great High Priestess Liadrin in my regiment"

"Now you are flattering me" said Liadrin, blushing a little.

"I have heard from every corner of Quel'Thalas that you are by far the best priest of your family. Maybe even the best priest in Quel'Thalas. You have wondrous effects on your patients and you have saved lots of people other healers couldn't have saved"

Liadrin didn't respond. She just stared at Sylvanas, trying her best to hide her blush. It didn't work well. Sylvanas chuckled as she saw Liadrin's reddened cheeks. She patted her shoulder softly, emptied her cup of tea and stood up eventually. "I will see you in a week in Silvermoon City. Just come to my office whenever you have time and so we can speak about the details"

Liadrin nodded. "I will, Sylvanas"

"See you soon" Sylvanas responded. She patted Liadrin's shoulder, looked at her for a few moments before she turned around and walked out of the hut.

* * *

"Don't be shy. Come in and take a seat" recommended Sylvanas, pointing at the chair in front of her desk. Kelrian hesitated for a moment, regarding the inside of her office before he made the first step.

The walls were coloured in light blue, decorated with golden ornaments. The floor was covered by a carpet which had a similar colour. On the left wall hung trophies, in this case, the heads of slain beasts. Boars, deers, lynxes, bats, murlocs and even dragonhawks.

On the opposite wall hung paintings which showed areas of Quel'Thalas, members of Sylvanas' family and even the royal family, the Sunstriders. The wall behind Sylvanas wasn't decorated by anything. There was a glass door which led to the bordering balcony from which the entire training area of the Farstrider Enclave could be seen.

The wall behind Kelrian was decorated with lots of skulls of orcs and trolls. Kelrian's gaze rested on one of the troll heads. He had never seen this troll before but he assumed that this troll had once been a worthy opponent, otherwise he wouldn't be hanging on the wall. He regarded the other troll heads, not saying anything

He got scared for a short moment as he noticed that Sylvanas was standing directly behind him. She was so close that her upper body was slightly pressed against his back, not to mention that he was able to feel her warm breath on his neck.

For some reason, his skin tingled nervously and a shiver of excitement ran down his spine. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest and he noticed that his breathing had become faster. It was obvious for both elves that her presence was causing this sudden change in his body's reaction. He didn't feel uncomfortable around her but he was definitely more nervous than before.

One of Sylvanas' hands rested on his shoulder, the other pointed at the troll head in the middle. "The name of this troll was Ha'jin. He was the father of Zul'jin, the current leader of the Amani trolls"

Kelrian turned his head, regarding Sylvanas for a few moments before he looked back at the troll head. The head had large tusks and a silver mohawk. His red eyes were widened, his mouth was wide open. His face let Kelrian assume that the troll had screamed out in pain before he had been beheaded.

"You killed him, right?" Kelrian asked as he turned around to look at the Ranger-General.

"Yes, I did. He was a fearsome and well-respected warrior among the Amani trolls but he had no chance against me. He fought well and he held out longer than expected, but in the end, my arrows slowed him down and my sword beheaded him"

"Astonishing" whispered Kelrian. Sylvanas' lips formed a small smile as she noticed that Kelrian was admiring her more than ever at this very moment.

She chuckled, patting his shoulder softly. "I could tell you the story behind each of my trophies but that would take too long"

"I would love to listen to your stories"

She chuckled again. "I guessed so but I don't have the time for that. I would love to tell you everything but there are other tasks if have to do"

Kelrian gave her an agreeing nod and turned around, intending to go to the chair in front of Sylvanas' desk. But the Ranger-General kept standing on the same spot so Kelrian was unable to walk over to the chair in a direct way. He could walk around Sylvanas to get to the chair but for some reason, his body didn't obey him. He kept standing in front of Sylvanas, staring into her beautiful eyes. Sylvanas remained on the same spot and returned the staring.

Kelrian noticed that his body began to sweat as Sylvanas' face came closer to his until it was only a few inches away. Her lips were only a few inches away from his, her eyes stared directly into his eyes. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest, a small blush crept on his cheeks as he continued to stare at her.

They didn't move for an inch for almost five minutes. Eventually, Sylvanas pulled away, walking to her desk. She sat down on her chair, signalizing Kelrian to sit down as well. He nodded to her and wiped the sweat from his forehead before he walked to the chair and sat down.

He put his hands on his lap, toying with his fingers nervously. He had never been alone in a closed room with Sylvanas before. Nobody could see how nervous he was in her near. Nobody except for Sylvanas Windrunner herself. He was not as nervous as he had been eight years ago. He had grown over the years and had become more mature. Still, he was always nervous when Sylvanas was around. She was the most beautiful woman in Quel'Thalas so it was not a shame to be nervous in her near.

He leaned against the back of his chair, regarding Sylvanas curiously. They weren't speaking at this very moment so he was able to admire her beauty without getting disrupted. He was able to do that until Sylvanas cleared her throat.

"I'm pretty sure you are asking yourself why I've called you to my office" said Sylvanas. She opened one of the drawers of her desk, pulling out a jug and two glasses. Kelrian was able to see that the jug was filled with a purple liquid. He assumed that it was moonberry juice, one of the most favourite non-alcoholic drinks in Quel'Thalas.

His throat was dry and he was really thirsty so Sylvanas' offering came in handy for him. He thanked her and took the glass after she had filled it, bringing it to his lips. He emptied the content of the glass in one gulp. He was pretty sure that he had never tasted better moonberry juice than this.

He put the glass back on the desk, giving the Ranger-General a thankful smile. She returned his smile after she had emptied her glass as well.

"I think I know why I am here" Kelrian replied eventually. "You want to tell me if someone has signed the agreement for me or not". His face was full of expectation. Hope was reflected by his eyes. He was hoping that Sylvanas had managed to convince someone to put his signature under the agreement.

He wanted to become a Farstrider so badly. He had trained so hard over the past eight years. He had given his best to impress Sylvanas and he had made it through the exam. He had even managed to become a member of the new squad Sylvanas will train. It would be a shame if he couldn't become a Farstrider because nobody in his family believed in him and supported him.

He didn't notice that he was clenching his fists as he imagined what would happen if Sylvanas wouldn't have managed to get a signature. He didn't know what to do if he couldn't become a Farstrider. He was not good enough for becoming a priest or a paladin and he didn't want to learn an ordinary profession. He didn't want to become a baker, a blacksmith or a trader. He wanted to be a Farstrider, a ranger who would hunt wild animals and protect the inhabitants of Quel'Thalas against all evil. Becoming a Farstrider was his greatest wish. He didn't want anything else. He only wanted to be a member of the organization Sylvanas was leading.

Sylvanas noticed that something was troubling Kelrian. He was having a strange expression on his face as if he was having an inner fight. Maybe he was debating with himself about something. She couldn't know what was going on in his mind at this very moment. But she knew what to do to calm him down and comfort him. She put her hand on his left hand, giving him a comforting smile. Kelrian looked at their hands, then he looked back at Sylvanas.

"Is something wrong?" Sylvanas asked with a soothing voice.

"Err, I... No, nothing is wrong. Really" he spoke but he didn't sound very convincingly.

"You can tell me about everything which is bothering you. You can come to me every time and tell me what is troubling you. I will always listen to you no matter how busy I will be" she spoke, caressing his hand softly.

He blushed as he noticed that Sylvanas' hand was still resting on his. He looked at their hands for a few moments before he looked back at the Ranger-General's gorgeous face.

"Thank you for offering me this, Ranger-General"

"Please call me Sylvanas when we are alone" she said, leaning forward. Kelrian's cheeks became redder when he noticed that he was able to look directly at Sylvanas' breasts. He couldn't stop himself from ogling the Ranger-General's cleavage which was only half covered by her chest plate. Her breasts were so large and full that it was impossible for the young man to avert his gaze.

Sylvanas didn't notice that he was looking at her breasts or at least she didn't stop him. She didn't pull back or cleared her throat to get Kelrian's attention. Instead, she kept sitting like this and regarded the young man in front of her.

Kelrian didn't know how much time had passed as he finally managed to stop looking at the cleavage of the famous Ranger-General. He leaned back, smiling shyly at Sylvanas.

"I would love to do that" he responded.

Sylvanas returned the smile, filling his and her glasses with moonberry juice. "I have called you to me to tell you that I'm managed to convince High Priestess Liadrin to put her signature under your agreement"

His heart stopped beating for a few moments as his ears received the news. She had managed it. She had really managed to get a signature for him.

He will become a Farstrider.

That was all he had ever dreamed of. There was nothing he desired more than becoming a Farstrider. And now it was going to happen. There was nothing which could stop him from joining the Farstriders. It was final and nobody could change that. Not even his father.

He was so happy at this very moment that he noticed too late what he was doing. For some reason, he had stood up, walked around the desk and hugged an astonished Sylvanas who had gotten up as well. His head rested on her left shoulder, both his arms were wrapped around her upper body, even his hands rested on her back and caressed it carefully.

Sylvanas was more than surprised about this but she didn't mind that he was hugging her. She didn't say anything nor did she push him away. She didn't return the hug but she didn't stop Kelrian. She allowed it to happen because she enjoyed it.

She noticed that tears were formed in Kelrian's eyes. Tears of joy. She didn't put her hand on his head and toyed with his hair even though she wanted to do it so badly at this very moment. She kept regarding the younger elf, chuckling when he pulled away as he realized what he had done. His face became as white as chalk, he opened his mouth but nothing else than stuttering came out.

What had he done? How could he...? He just hugged the Ranger-General of Silvermoon... He was an ordinary citizen of Quel'Thalas, he had not the right to come so close to the Ranger-General and touch her, not to mention to hug her without her permission.

What had he done? He had ignored her personal space as he had hugged her. He could get seriously punished for this if Sylvanas insisted. Maybe she wouldn't accept him in her group anymore because of this. He was so angry at himself at this very moment. He hadn't thought about what his actions could cause but now it was too late... Maybe he could lower his punishment by apologizing to her. He was hoping that Sylvanas wouldn't be too angry at him.

"I...I'm so sorry, Ranger-General. I... I didn't m...mean to..." he stuttered and looked at the floor, averting Sylvanas' gaze. He was too afraid to see the angry look on her face so he refused to look at her. He made a small pause, taking a deep breath before he tried to formulate an apology.

He stopped speaking after the first words had slipped out of his mouth when he felt a soft and warm hand under his chin. The hand lifted his chin up, forcing him to look at Sylvanas.

On the contrary to his expectation, she wasn't angry or hurt. It didn't seem that she was mad at him. Instead, it looked like Sylvanas didn't mind what he had done. She gave him a comforting smile, signalizing him that everything was fine. Colour returned to his face as her hand wandered to his left cheek and caressed it for a few moments. His cheeks were reddened and he bit his bottom lip softly.

Kelrian didn't seem to be convinced that everything was fine so Sylvanas decided to convince him that he didn't need to worry. She pulled him in a tight hug, putting her arms around his back. She didn't care that his head rested on her chest. She chuckled when she noticed that his face became as red as a tomato. She smiled when he returned the hug. She lowered her head to press a soft kiss on his forehead.

It was impossible for his face to become even redder so his body reacted in a different way to Sylvanas' lips which had come in contact with his skin. Kelrian's skin tingled nervously and he was sweating as if the sun was shining on him on a very hot summer day.

Sylvanas pulled away eventually, observing the bundle of nerves in front of her with an amused smile on her perfect lips. "Believe me, it's okay. I don't mind hugging you but do me a favour and don't do it when someone else is around"

"Don't worry, I won't. It won't happen again. Promised"

Sylvanas didn't respond to that. She just smiled at him and sat down on her chair. Kelrian walked around the desk and took a seat as well. He took his glass and emptied it in one gulp. He placed the glass back on the table and put his hands on his lap, not knowing what to do with them.

"I have to remind you that it will take five years of training to get you ready for the final exam. You will only become a Farstrider if you pass it. But the exam will be pretty hard and the same counts for the five years of training. I will train you and the others very hard. It will be exhausting and painful and there will be some days where you think you can't take it anymore. But you have to endure everything if you want to become a Farstrider. I can't treat you differently. You have to endure the same procedure as the others. I'm pretty sure you will make it. You are strong enough and have enough perseverance. You just need to hold out"

"I will do everything which is required to become a Farstrider. I will do everything you want from me. I won't complain about the training and I will obey every one of your commands. I promise you that I will endure the five hard years and pass the final exam" he responded, signalizing Sylvanas that he was serious about this.

She gave him her brightest smile. "I expect that you will keep your promise"

He smiled shyly "Don't worry, I will"

"I will see you on the next Monday at eight o'clock in front of the Farstrider Enclave. The others will come as well. The training will start from that day"

"I'm looking forward to it. I've to thank you for making sure that I could become a recruit. You didn't need to speak to my father or search for Liadrin to get the signature. Actually, it should have been my task to convince someone to sign the agreement. But you did it for me even though I didn't ask you to. I owe you so much, Sylvanas". He expressed his deep thanks by bowing to her.

"You can make up for efforts by training hard and passing the intermediate exam and the final exam. I want you to become a Farstrider. I won't accept anything else than you becoming one of us" Sylvanas replied with a slightly strict tone in her voice.

"I won't disappoint you"

"I believe you. See you next Monday, Kelrian"

"I'm already super excited. I can hardly wait to be trained by you" he said happily. He regarded her for a few moments before he got up and walked to the door slowly. He looked back at her more than just one time before he reached the door. He regarded her for half a minute before he opened the door and closed it behind him as he left her office.


	7. Celebration - Part I

Two and a half years had passed since Sylvanas had made it possible for Kelrian to become her recruit. Two years had passed since his training had started. The training had been hard, a lot harder than he had expected. Sylvanas hadn't spared him although he was her favourite. She had treated him like the other recruits. She had been strict to him when he had lacked discipline or when he hadn't been able to do what she had expected. She had urged her recruits to go to their limits and give their best.

Almost every day, Kelrian had been completely exhausted after the training which had lasted for at least ten hours. Often, he had been forced to train for twelve hours with only little pauses. The training had been strength-sapping and had exhausted him so much that he had gone to bed after it almost every day during the first year. His body had needed time to get used to this rhythm. After a year the training became less exhausting because he had gotten used to it.

The training was not easy these days but it was not as hard as it had been two and a half year ago. He knew the procedure of their daily training and he knew how to get perfectly prepared. He could fulfil the daily tasks he had to do during his daily routine without problems.

He had grown over the past years, had gotten more muscular and stronger in general. His skills with the bow were by far better than it had been two and a half years ago. Also, he had become faster, more skilled in close combat and better in following tracks. All in all, the two years of hard training had made him better and stronger.

Additional two and a half years were awaiting him. He had to withstand them to become a ranger. He was still a recruit but his will was unshakable. He would never give up no matter how hard and exhausting the training will become. He had sworn to himself and to the Ranger-General that he wouldn't stop until he becomes a ranger of the Farstriders.

Kelrian's dream was to fight alongside Sylvanas one day. He wanted to assist her, help her fight against all evil. He couldn't wait to become a ranger so he could accompany Sylvanas on very important missions like hunting groups of trolls who dared to invade the high elven land. He would love to sneak with her and her best rangers in a troll village and kill the warriors in their sleep before anyone would notice their presence. He knew that he had to wait two and a half more years to become a ranger. But he was a patient person so he would endure the remaining years. The training will become a lot harder but he was sure that he would endure it.

Kelrian entered the room at this very moment and his first action was to check his surroundings. He had just entered the dining room of the Farstrider Enclave. The room was large enough that at least three hundred persons could fit in it. The dining room was not extraordinarily furnished or decorated. A few paintings hang here and there, the floor was covered by a soft blue carpet. At least thirty large tables with six or eight chairs stood in the room. Most of the chairs were already taken.

Kelrian noticed by the uniforms of the present persons that about fifty rangers of all ranks were in the room. The others were recruits who were either sitting on the chairs, stood somewhere or walked to the tables on the right side of the room where the buffet stood. The rangers were wearing better uniforms so that they were easy to distinguish from the recruits.

As a recruit, Kelrian was wearing a leather vest which was coated with a thin chain mail and green cloth. He was also wearing leather pants which were dyed in green and firm boots which allowed him to move trouble-free in muddy, snowy and steep areas. Climbing mountains, wandering through swamps or snowed areas were no problem for him as long as he wore these boots.

The uniforms of the rangers were also made out of leather but it had a much better quality than the leather used for the armours of the recruit. Either the leather was dyed in blue or it was coated with blue cloth. The chain mails the rangers were wearing were thicker and protected them better but they weren't much heavier than the chain mails of the recruits. Their boots were also better, held longer and were more resistant against dampness and sharp objects like stones or the tips of arrows.

It was easy for recruits to find a contact partner if they had a question or a problem. They just needed to look out for a person with a blue coloured uniform. One of the few exceptions was Alleria who was wearing a green coloured uniform even though she was a Ranger-Captain and not a recruit.

Kelrian spotted the group of persons he was looking for on a table near the entrance. Elonis, Elena, Kelia, Zetai and another member of Sylvanas' squad with the name Saith were sitting on a table on which a few plates and glasses were standing. This table had only six chairs so Kelrian had no other choice than sitting down between Elena and Elonis.

Of course, he didn't mind because he had become friends with the two beautiful and nice women. He didn't see them very often because they belonged to Regiment Two which was led by Alleria but he was able to meet them during the weekends when all of them had time off. Even Zetai joined them whenever they agreed to do something together.

Kelrian hadn't talked much with Zetai during the first year but they more time they had spent together the more information had Zetai given about himself. He hadn't become a very talkative person but at least he didn't remain silent whenever they met.

The relationship between Kelrian and Zetai had become better over the past two and a half years. Zetai had mostly ignored him during the first few months. He had barely looked at him and never spoken to him. He hadn't even answered Kelrian's questions. Kelrian had never taken it personally. Zetai was a special person and he had treated everyone equally. Every male at least.

But then his attitude had changed from one day to another. He had become more opened and had even talked about his feelings, his interests and other topics which seemed to be important to him. Kelrian had trained more often with Zetai and spoken with him about casual topics so he had gotten to know him better. He was even considering him as a friend. He was not sure how Zetai was seeing their relationship but he was pretty sure that he was considering him as a friend too.

Kelrian sat down between the two women he also considered as his friends. He loved to spend time with them and Zetai. They hunted together very often or went to the market to buy things, food most of the time. Sometimes when it was really hot, they even walked to the nearest beach and got in the water to cool off.

Kelrian saw them only during the weekends so he spent as much time as possible with them. He saw Zetai every day so it was not so tragic if he didn't come with them. Sometimes, Zetai refused to go with them without telling them why. Kelrian found it strange but he never asked him about the reasons. If that happened, he just accepted Zetai's decision and spent his free time with Elena and Elonis.

Kelrian also saw Kelia and Saith every day because, like him, they were also trained by Sylvanas. He got along with them very well but he wasn't doing something with them during his free time. They had their own circles of friends with who they spent their free time. Kelrian talked with them from time to time but other than that he didn't do anything with them.

Kelrian leaned against the back of his chair and observed his friends. He was not very hungry at the moment so he had decided to just take a seat and listen to what the others had to say. At this very moment, Elonis told the others about the intermediate examination she had passed successfully. Like everyone else, her task had been to survive alone in the wilderness for a week.

Judging by what Elonis was telling, surviving in the wilderness had been no problem for her. She had found a cave where she had slept at the end of each day. She hadn't had any problems finding animals to eat. Kelrian listened to her attentively and compared her experiences with the ones he had made during that week. All in all, he hadn't had it as easy as her but he had also been able to survive without having had huge problems.

"How was your exam, Kel?" asked Elonis after she had finished reporting about her week.

"Fine, I guess. It was easier than expected. I was always careful and stayed away from groups of wild beasts. Most of the times I hunted deers, smaller boards or lonely lynxes. Sometimes I only managed to bag a rabbit but it was still enough to satisfy my hunger. Unlike you, I didn't find a cave so I had to build a small hut out of thick branches. It was not the safest accommodation but it was better than nothing. I survived this week without any incidents. That's all that matters"

"I'm glad that you didn't get injured. Not like this one guy from Regiment Four" said Elena.

"What happened?" asked Kelrian. A frown appeared on his forehead and he raised an eyebrow as he looked at Elena curiously.

"We don't know any details. We have only heard rumours. According to these rumours, one of the recruits from Regiment Four stumbled over a large stone and fell from a steep hill. His left leg broke as he fell. He was lucky that a ranger from his regiment, who was secretly checking on him from time to time, found him before the wild beasts could" explained Elena.

Kelrian tilted his head, making a thoughtful face. "I don't want to imagine what would have happened if the beasts would have found him before the ranger"

Elena didn't say anything in return, but Elonis did after being silent for a few moments. "The life of a Farstrider is no bed of roses. We will face worse threats than lynxes or boars in the future. One day, when we won't be recruits anymore, we will fight against orcs and trolls. We can't allow ourselves to get injured by stumbling over a stone. Every mistake, even the smallest one, can cost us our lives in times of war. We need to be careful. We have to learn to be careful as fast as possible. I think this will be a lesson for the guy. I hope he won't do the same mistake twice or he could get in serious trouble"

"Elena is right" responded Zetai. "The life of a Farstrider is and will never be easier. It will become more difficult as soon as they decide that we are ready to participate in the skirmishes against the trolls and orcs"

"I share your opinions. Hopefully, the following two and a half years will be enough to prepare us against the real threats. I can't wait to kill these orcs and trolls who raid our villages and kill traders which are coming from Lordaeron or Stormwind to visit our capital city" responded Kelrian.

He was showing everyone that he was serious about this. He wasn't afraid to face a troll or an orc even though they were known to be physically stronger than elves. On the other hand, the high elves were faster than them so even the brute strength of the orcs wouldn't save them from a precise arrow right between their eyes. Kelrian wasn't afraid of having to fight them one day. On the contrary, he was already excited to help the Farstriders expel them from their home.

"Don't worry, we will show these bastards what we are capable of. Together with the others, we will avenge the numerous innocent inhabitants who die by the hands of these bastards every year. The orcs and trolls will wish that they had never gone to war against us" responded a self-confident Zetai.

"Don't forget that the humans and dwarves are also fighting against the Horde. We don't have to face these bastards alone" reminded Elonis.

"Pah, we don't need the help of humans and dwarves. We are able to handle these underdeveloped creatures alone"

"You might be right, Zetai. But more of our people will die without the help of the Alliance. I know you are proud that you don't need anyone's help but sometimes we have to give up our pride and let others help us for the greater good" said Kelrian, wondering what his friend would respond.

Zetai's response didn't surprise him at all. "If you think so". He lifted his glass, which was filled with alcohol, and brought it to his lips. He emptied the glass in one gulp, putting it back on the table.

"I think we all agree that we will make the Horde pay for what they have done to our people over the last two decades" intervened Kelia.

"The funny thing is that these trolls and orcs maintain that they are fighting with honour. But the truth is that they aren't. They hide from us and only attack us when we are not aware of them. They raid villages and kill defenceless villagers. They don't even spare women and children. They plunder, abduct, rape and murder. I can't wait to shoot an arrow through Zul'jin's eye and his underdeveloped troll brain. I will make sure that this bastard will die by my hands" Zetai's tone had been relaxed at first but it had become more and more influenced by anger and hatred the longer he had spoken. It was unmistakable that his hatred for orcs and trolls was a lot more distinctive than of the other elves.

The others were asking themselves what had happened that Zetai hated them that much. But nobody dared to ask him about this. Nobody except Kelrian who wanted to help Zetai. He put his hand on Zetai's shoulder, signalizing him that he was not alone "What did they do to deserve your hatred?"

Zetai was silent for a few moments as he stared at the empty glass he was holding. He frowned when he noticed that his hands were shaking a bit. He put the glass down, regarding his still shaking hands. He took a deep breath, put each hand on the opposite upper arm and rested his elbows on the table. The others were also silent, waiting patiently that Zetai would say something.

The current best recruit refused to say anything for a few minutes. He didn't do anything except for staring at his empty glass. But then he spoke eventually after almost ten minutes. "The trolls raided my village six years ago. I went out to hunt boars for the evening meal so I was not there to defend my village. My father was one of the only inhabitants who knew how to fight. He was a good swordsman and archer but he was not strong enough to defend the village against twenty trolls. The trolls burned down every house, defiled the corpses of the dead, raped my mother in front of my father's eyes and tortured my father slowly while my mother was forced to watch.

My sister is the only member of my family who survived this slaughter. She has hidden beneath a carriage which had fallen over. The trolls haven't found her so they couldn't kill her. But my sister had to watch everything. She managed to escape but the occurrence has marked her forever. She has not been able to speak with me for an entire month. She broke out in tears when she finally told me what exactly happened. She has nightmares every night since the troll attack. A few priests and mages have managed to help her. Since her therapy, she has far fewer nightmares and they are not as bad as the ones she had before the therapy.

She is doing better but that doesn't mean I will easily forget what these trolls did to my village and my family. Every single troll will pay for what these twenty trolls and all the other trolls did to our people"

The listeners remained silent for a few minutes after Zetai was done speaking. None of them had ever witnessed that Zetai had sounded so depressed and angry at the same time. None of them had ever seen such a sad expression on his face. None of them had believed that Zetai had negative emotions. He always had a neutral expression or an amused expression on his face. He had never shown grief, anger and loss before.

His comrades showed compassion for him. They didn't hug him, even though they wanted, because Zetai hated getting hugged. Instead, they patted his shoulders and spoke comforting words to him, managing to calm him down a little.

Kelrian exchanged Zetai's empty glass with a new one which was filled to the brim. "I understand you. You want to seek vengeance but killing Zul'jin won't bring your family back. I understand that you want to kill at least ten trolls for each inhabitant they had killed but this is no weird black magic ritual. You won't resurrect them if you kill their murderers"

"I know that. I'm not that dumb"

"I didn't say that" responded Kelrian politely.

"But you are right. Killing the murderers won't bring them back. I was hoping that when I hunted them but even killing their shaman didn't change anything. The dead stayed dead but at least these bastards died. Maybe too quickly for my liking" Zetai emptied his glass quickly as he was done speaking.

"Wait a second..." said Elonis, giving her comrade a surprised look. "You met the ones who were responsible for the destruction of your village?"

"Yes, I did. They were foolish enough to return five months later because their shaman lost some sort of an amulet which was important to him. I have found this amulet and for some reason, I have known that they would return sooner or later. I've prepared lots of traps and waited for their return. Then I killed them one by one until only their leader was left. Killing him required more arrows but in the end, he fell like the other members of his disgusting kind"

"You killed twenty trolls alone?" asked Kelrian. It was hard to miss that he was heavily surprised by this. And he was not the only one. Every other elf who sat at the table and even those who sat were in the near were having similar expressions on their faces.

"I had twenty-four arrows" told Zetai. "One arrow right between the eyes was enough to kill a troll bastard. My traps caught some of them and prevented that they could move which made it a lot easier to kill them. But even without the traps, they fell quickly. Only their leader survived three of my arrows. He was a lot larger, stronger and even faster than the rest of his group. My fourth arrow hit right in the left eye but he was still alive. I had no arrows left so I went in close combat and rammed my sword deep in his ugly widely opened jaw"

"That's impressive" whispered Elonis.

Zetai continued his report. "I could have defiled their corpses as they had done with the corpses of my neighbours but I decided against it. I wouldn't have been better than them if I would have sunken to their level. I haven't wanted that one of their crazed shamans would bring them back so I burned them"

"Killing twenty trolls is already impressive. I'm sure that only a few rangers would have managed that. The Ranger-General would have managed that and maybe her sister, otherwise I don't know anyone else who could have done that" said Kelrian but he didn't get a response. Zetai just stared at his empty glass and chose to be silent. Kelrian offered him his glass which was still full. Zetai took it without thanking him and emptied it.

Kelrian didn't know how many glasses of alcohol his friend had emptied so far. He assumed that he had drunk at least five glasses. Maybe more. But Zetai didn't seem to be drunk. Not even close. He had seen him drinking bevor. He had never gotten drunk before when he had been around, no matter how many glasses he had emptied. It seemed that he was immune to the influence of alcohol. Or maybe he just could tolerate a lot. Kelrian was not sure.

He, on the other hand, started to see things twice after only three glasses. That was the reason why he hadn't drunk anything yet. He didn't want to end up drunk in a corner an hour after the had arrived at the celebration. He wanted to enjoy more of the celebration before he would get drunk.

"Did you feel better now that all twenty trolls are dead?" Kelrian asked eventually.

Zetai hesitated with his answer for a few moments. "Not really. I was pleased for the moment but in the end, their deaths didn't make me feel better"

"I'm afraid that Zul'jin's death will not make you feel any better" announced Kelia.

"Maybe it will. Maybe not. But it is a good start at least. I won't rest as long as the trolls are still living in our lands and looking for trouble. I will only rest when every single troll is dead"

"Just be careful that your thirst for vengeance won't induce you to do something stupid which could endanger you or even cost your life" responded Kelrian, making a worried face.

Zetai chuckled, patting his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry, Kel. I can take care of myself"

"I hope so"

"Trust me. I handled these twenty trolls so I can also handle my thirst for vengeance"

"Hopefully" muttered Kelrian, not sounding very convinced. He gave him a small smile as he stared at him. Zetai emptied another glass, requesting Kelrian to finally drink something which contained alcohol. The younger male forwent but he agreed on getting a few more glasses of alcohol for the best recruit.

He stood up and walked to the table on which the alcoholic drinks were standing. He put a few glasses on a tray and was about to turn around and walk back to the table where his friends were sitting as he recognized a familiar person leaning against a column.

It was no other than Sylvanas Windrunner who was regarding the event. Her right leg was bent so her right feet could rest against the column. She was holding a half-full glass in her hand while the other toyed with a few strands of her majestic hair. Sylvanas turned her head in his direction, her lips formed a smile as she spotted him in the crowd. She stopped toying with her hair and waved at Kelrian, signalizing him to come closer. Kelrian didn't hesitate and walked over to her, returning the smile she was giving him.

Sylvanas' gaze fell on the tray he was carrying. "That's a lot of alcohol for one person. Do you want to forget everything around you or why have you taken so many glasses?" she teased.

Kelrian blushed a little for a reason he didn't know. "No, this is not for me. It is for Zetai... and our friends I guess"

She chuckled. "I would have said the same if I would have gotten caught with too many glasses of alcohol by my instructor"

"You know me very well, Ranger-General. My body doesn't tolerate much alcohol. Things wouldn't end well for me if I would empty every single glass. I've not planned to hug the toilet for the rest of the day, to be honest"

"What do you want to do instead?" Sylvanas asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.

"I've no clue. Celebrating, talking with my friends, maybe doing other things. I don't know yet"

"Would you like to follow me and talk with me a bit?" she asked, giving him a small inviting smile.

Kelrian looked around, checking if the nearest persons had heard what Sylvanas had offered him. To his relief, the closest person was over thirty feet away and didn't seem to have heard anything. Also, it was very loud which minimized the chance that someone would have heard her.

He also found out that nobody was really watching them, which really surprised him because Sylvanas' look was always a feast for everyone's eyes. He didn't mind at all because this meant that he could follow Sylvanas without getting noticed by too many people.

Not even Alleria or Verena were paying attention to what Sylvanas was doing so she took this opportunity and began to walk through the nearest corridor, signalizing Kelrian to follow her. He wanted to protest, to tell her that he had to bring the drinks to Zetai first but no sound escaped his lips. Kelrian hesitated for a few moments before followed her willingly. He carried the tray with him, hoping that he wouldn't spill a single drink.

He followed her until she stopped after a while. He looked around, noticing that they were standing on a balcony. The night was so dark that no one could see them from outside. Sylvanas closed the door behind him and locked it, making sure no one else could join them. She walked to the railing and leaned against it. She folded her arms in front of her chest, tilting her head as she regarded Kelrian curiously.

"Are you not afraid someone might find us here?"

"Don't worry, no one will spot us on this balcony and even if, I don't care"

"So, you have me where you want me. I guess you have planned to bring me to this balcony. What exactly are you up to?

Sylvanas smirked teasingly as she responded "Come closer and find it out"


	8. Celebration - Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Only energy drinks kept me awake/alive when I edited this chapter so please don't mind any spelling and grammar mistakes. Enjoy the chapter. Thank you for reading and commenting this story so far.

_Come closer and find it out_

These had been her words. He had obeyed her and come closer. And now he was standing right in front of Sylvanas Windrunner who was leaning against the balcony's balustrade. Her hands rested on the balustrade, her perfect lips formed a teasing smile.

Kelrian didn't know what to think at this very moment nor did he know what to do. Sylvanas had asked him to follow her and brought him to this place for a reason. A reason he wanted to know so badly. He was curious about what would happen next.

There were only a few reasons why Sylvanas wanted to be alone with him. She wouldn't have needed to bring him to this balcony if she just wanted to chat with him.

Did she want to talk to him in private? If yes for what reason? About what she wanted to talk? Was it something about important? Or did she just wanted to have peace? Maybe she just wanted to relax and talk a little without getting disturbed by others... There were so many questions on his mind but he couldn't find an answer for any of them.

Kelrian had no clue what was awaiting him. She just stared at the Ranger-General, returning her wide smile. He opened his mouth, wanting to ask Sylvanas why they were here but no sound escaped his lips. He frowned as he realized that his throat was not producing any sound. He closed his mouth, looking away ashamed. He assumed that the expression he had made had looked pretty silly. Sylvanas chuckled about his embarrassment, walking to him slowly.

At this very moment, she was standing in the middle of the balcony, right in front of the nervous Kelrian. She took a glass of wine from the tray he was still carrying in his hands. "It's nice that you have brought drinks with you"

"Well, as I have said, these drinks were originally meant for Zetai. But I guess you won't leave me until we have done whatever you have planned"

"I'm not forcing you to stay, Kelrian. You can leave whenever you want. You can go to Zetai and watch him getting drunk or you stay with me and talk to me. It's up to you" she responded and gave him a likable smile. He returned the smile, staring into her beautiful blue eyes. He thought he would get lost in them forever if he would look in them for too long. These were by far the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. It was always a pleasure for Kelrian to stare into them, sometimes even longer than necessary.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he finally managed to stop himself from just looking into Sylvanas' eyes without doing anything else. He cleared his throat and shifted his gaze from Sylvanas' gorgeous face to her hands which looked untainted even though she had to use them every day for doing ordinary tasks.

As a ranger, it was normal to get his hands dirty while doing the daily stuff every ranger was doing like training, preparing traps or making arrows. Sometimes a ranger had to check the ground for hidden and almost unrecognizable tracks. Cracked or broke off fingernails were usual for a ranger, especially for an apprentice. But unlike most recruits, Kelrian knew, his fingernails were clean and not broken most of the times.

Sylvanas blue-painted fingernails always looked perfect. Kelrian had never seen that they had been cracked or missing. He didn't know how she managed to always look perfect. He had never seen her looking differently. She was always perfect. Kelrian thought that her middle name was perfection. Of course, he wasn't believing that but he found that this name would fit for her.

He found himself staring at Sylvanas once again. This time he regarded her entire upper body and not only her face or her hands. He noticed that she had almost emptied one of the glasses while he had been busy staring. He returned her curious smile, putting the tray on the balustrade so that he and Sylvanas could reach it. Sylvanas took another glass, offering it to Kelrian.

The younger elf wanted to reject the offer but he found out that he was unable to refuse Sylvanas anything. He accepted the glass even though he didn't want to drink anything. Sylvanas emptied her glass then she took another. She took a sip, signalizing Kelrian to try the wine. He nodded to her, taking a sip as well.

The alcohol tasted worse than he had expected. He had never liked the taste of alcohol so he had never enjoyed drinking. He had only drunken one or two glasses whenever his family had celebrated something important like the birthday of a family member.

Whenever he had drunken a glass or two, he had done it slowly and hadn't emptied within a few minutes. Not like he had done at this very moment. For a reason he couldn't explain to himself, he had emptied the glass within a few seconds. Maybe he had done that because Sylvanas had given him an expecting look. Maybe he had done that for another reason. He couldn't explain that to himself.

He was not used to consume high-proof alcoholic drinks so the effect of the drink quickly set in. He didn't feel tipsy nor did his senses become murky. But he felt different, at least a bit. He regarded his empty glass before it was taken out of his hand and replaced by a new full glass.

He looked up at Sylvanas, his heartbeat became a bit faster as he noticed the smile on her lips. It was not like her usual smiles. It looked different. Kelrian was not sure if he was imagining this but for some reason, he had the impression that this smile was supposed to be a seductive smile.

Maybe he was wrong about this. Maybe he had misinterpreted her smile. There was no way that Sylvanas Windrunner, THE Sylvanas Windrunner, would try to seduce him. He was thinking that at least. He couldn't know what Sylvanas was really feeling for him. He couldn't know that she had developed feelings for him over the years.

She hadn't been sure about her feelings for the first eight years but the more time she had spent with him, the stronger her feelings for him had gotten. She wasn't denying her feelings anymore but she didn't tell anybody about her heavy crush. Not even her sisters or her best friend Verena. She kept it as a secret since she had realized her feelings for him.

During the past two and a half years she had been able to observe Kelrian a lot. She may have not found out if he was feeling something for her but she had gotten to know him better which had increased her feelings for him. Watching over him and the other recruits had been more fun than she had expected. She had always enjoyed training others but she had never enjoyed it as much as with her newest group. The main reason for that was Kelrian who was becoming better than better with each passing week. But training Zetai was also more fun than expected.

Zetai had by far the most talent of all current recruits. He was a lot better than anyone else. He was the best in everything. Hitting fast-moving targets with arrows, chasing enemies, beating others in close combat, following tracks and many other disciplines. It was clear for Sylvanas that he will be the best of the newest generation of recruits.

Kelrian was also skilled but not as skilled as Zetai. But Sylvanas believed that he could become the second-best recruit if he would train harder. He was already giving his best but Sylvanas believed that he had more potential. He could do better if he would focus better. Sylvanas had noticed that he could get easily distracted sometimes. She was pretty sure that she was the reason he got distracted. She felt flattered about that but at the same time, she remained strict with Kelrian. He had to learn to not get distracted by anything if he wanted to become one of the best Farstriders.

Sometimes she was scolding Kelrian for getting distracted and it worked wonders. Whenever she scolded him, he didn't get distracted for the rest of the day. Sylvanas had thought about changing her outfit and dressing up in a uniform that didn't reveal too much of her cleavage and her flat belly.

She knew that this would cause that Kelrian wouldn't get distracted so often. One the other hand, she loved it when she caught him staring at her and ogling her gorgeous body. In the end, she had decided against changing her outfit because she loved her uniform. It made her look gorgeous and she loved to impress others with her look. Of course, her main goal was to impress Kelrian but she also loved to see the impressed faces of other men and even women.

And Kelrian was more than impressed by her looks. At this very moment, he was secretly ogling her cleavage, trying to not make it too obvious. Sylvanas had noticed what he was doing but she didn't do or say anything. Instead, she drank more wine. She managed to engage him in a conversation eventually, talking with him about the training, about the Farstriders, and about hobbies. They talked for a while, emptying the one or other glass during their conversation.

She asked him about his family but he didn't give her many informative answers. She noticed quickly that he didn't want to talk about his family so she stopped and switched topics. They began to talk about Sylvanas' family. She told him about her sisters, her brother and her parents. She told him about their hobbies, about their behaviours and their quirks. She even told him that her mother had handed her bow to Alleria while Sylvanas had followed in her footsteps as the Ranger-General of Silvermoon.

They kept talking for a while. Kelrian found himself staring into her gorgeous blue eyes without being able to look away. These blue orbs demanded his attention, they forced him to look into them as if they had control over him. Even though he was forced to look into Sylvanas' eyes, he didn't resist. He loved staring into her eyes.

He got the impression that he could get lost in them forever. He would love to stare into Sylvanas' eyes as long as possible, even if that would mean that he would be standing with her on the balcony until the end of time. He had no desire to avert his gaze nor did he wanted to be away from her. He was happy to be around her.

He was not sure if it was some sort of a supernatural power Sylvanas was possessing or the effect of the alcohol which made his body move of its own. Kelrian had lost control over his body which made him walk forward until he was standing directly in front of Sylvanas. It was obvious for the two elves that Kelrian was more than just a bit tipsy. He could barely walk forward without needing to put a hand on the balustrade.

Sylvanas put a hand on his shoulder, helping him to stand steady. He gave her a thankful smile, his eyes found hers once again. He could smell that the alcohol hadn't left Sylvanas unaffected. She behaved as if she was sober but her breath betrayed her. Kelrian didn't mind that her breath was smelling of alcohol. He assumed that his breath smelled worse so he was glad that he couldn't smell it.

The effect of the alcohol made him realize too late that Sylvanas' face had gotten very close to his. Her lips were only a few inches away from his lips. He could kiss her if he would lean in but he was too afraid of the consequences. He had always imagined sealing his lips with the lips of this goddess. But he had always feared to ruin their friendship if he would do that. He had had a few opportunities to kiss her when nobody was watching them during the past years but he had never seized such an opportunity. He had been too afraid that Sylvanas would turn him down so he had never tried it.

Sylvanas had had similar thoughts over the past years and like him, she hadn't dared to try it. She had been too afraid as well about what could change if her attempt would backfire. She had been too afraid that Kelrian could turn her down. Him having no interest in her had been her greatest fear over the past years. This fear had held her back from taking a risk.

But at this very moment, she didn't feel any fear. She was not afraid of anything. There was no pressure on her shoulders. There was nothing which held her back. It was the effect of the alcohol which freed her from all insecurities. It was the effect of the alcohol which strengthened her back and gave her a lot more self-confidence than she already had. It was definitely the effect which led her to the next step.

She leaned in, her lips came dangerously close to his. She could feel his hot breath and smell the alcohol in it but that didn't bother her. She was about to put her lips on his as she heard a sound coming from behind the door. She pulled away quickly, looking at the door. She was curious who or what was making these sounds and she was wondering how someone had managed to find them.

She had made sure that nobody had seen them when they had left the main hall. There was no way someone could know that they were on this balcony. Maybe someone had gotten lost and randomly found the corridor which led to this balcony. This was the only logical explanation which came in Sylvanas' mind.

At least the door was locked so no one could come in and interrupt them. Sylvanas turned back to Kelrian, wanting to finish what she had started. But she didn't get to it because someone was knocking loudly on the door. The two elves were sure that it was the same person who had made these strange noises. The person knocked heavier against the door, shaking the doorknob as if he or she was hoping that it would open if he or she would continue doing it.

Sylvanas' eyes rested on Kelrian, signalizing him to stay calm and don't say a word. Kelrian also looked at her, pressing his lips together. He obeyed her command and didn't say anything. He didn't move an inch, he just stood there and looked at the Ranger-General.

"Kelrian" shouted a familiar voice. "Kelrian open the freaking door. I know you are on this balcony. I can smell the alcohol, you wanted to bring me, from here"

Now they knew who was the intruder. It was no other than Zetai who was standing behind the door and asked for entrance. Kelrian already knew from the way he was speaking that he was heavily drunk. He assumed that his friend had emptied a lot of glasses over the past hours. And with a lot, he really meant A LOT. He didn't want to know the exact number of glasses Zetai had emptied. He had watched Zetai drinking lots of glasses and bottles of alcohol whenever they had celebrated something. So he was pretty sure that Zetai must have really drunken A LOT to sound like this.

Kelrian looked at the door for a short moment before he looked at Sylvanas, raising an eyebrow as he gave her a curious look. He was not sure what to do at this very moment so he was hoping that Sylvanas would decide what to do.

"I won't leave until you give me the drinks you are owing me" he shouted, shaking the doorknob heavier. Sylvanas looked at Kelrian, then at the tray and at the door. Kelrian nodded, signalizing her that he had understood what she wanted from him. He took the tray, noticing that only three of ten glasses were still filled. The rest had been emptied by them over the past hours. He walked over to the door, unlocked and opened it.

Kelrian wanted to give Zetai the tray but the best recruit rushed past him to the balustrade and leaned over it. He vomited. Sylvanas turned away, making a slightly disgusted face. Kelrian walked over to his friend and propped him, making sure he wouldn't fall over the balustrade. The balcony was two hundred feet over the ground so falling from it would have fatal consequences. Zetai thanked him after he was pulled back, wiping his mouth clean with the back of his hand.

He put his arm around Kelrian's neck, pulling him close. "Thank you, my friend" he shouted as he staggered a few feet forward. Sylvanas regarded him with narrowed eyes. She knew how most of her subordinates behaved when they were drunk but she had never seen someone who had been as drunk as Zetai and had been still able to walk. Walk was not the right word in this case. Zetai was staggering with every step he made. It was a miracle that he was still able to stand upright.

Sylvanas covered her nose as she noticed his breath, which smelled strongly after alcohol. She smelled it although she was standing in the middle of the balcony. She kept regarding the two friends but she didn't do anything.

Zetai let go of Kelrian eventually and took the tray Kelrian had put on the balustrade. He took a glass and emptied it in one gulp before Sylvanas or Kelrian were able to say something.

"Do you think it's wise to drink more after you... emptied the content of your stomach?"

"Don't worry, little one" responded Zetai, patting his friend's head. "I know what I'm doing"

"You are drunk. You don't know what is good for you and what is not. You can barely walk without staggering" said Kelrian. He tried to convince his friend to stop drinking but he didn't listen to him. Zetai emptied the remaining glasses and flung the tray with the empty glasses off the balcony.

Kelrian frowned as he looked at Sylvanas who was shrugging her shoulders. Zetai walked to Kelrian, putting his arm around his shoulder. "How are you doing my friend?"

Kelrian had to put his hand over his nose to bear the strong smell of alcohol which was coming out of Zetai's mouth. This was the reason why his voice sounded muffled. To say that the smell was unpleasant was an understatement.

"I'm fine, I guess" he responded. He was not fine at all because Zetai was disturbing them during their private conversation. Zetai's grip around Kelrian's shoulder began to hurt him but he didn't say anything because he didn't want to be rude. Nor did he mention that Zetai's breath smelled worse than a pigsty. He just kept standing on the same spot and hoped that Zetai would loosen his grip a bit. But he didn't and Sylvanas realized that he didn't plan on doing it.

Sylvanas walked to her subordinates, putting her hands on her hips as she gave Zetai a strict look. The large male grinned at her as if he had no clue what was going on and what Sylvanas wanted from him.

Sylvanas said his name with the same strict voice she used whenever she trained her group. Zetai stared at the Ranger-General for a few moments but then he finally let go of Kelrian and saluted to her.

Kelrian backed off and walked to Sylvanas, stopping behind her. Sylvanas regarded Zetai from head to toe before she formulated a question. "How did you find us?"

"Kelrian accidentally stepped... in a piece of cake which was lying on the floor...I...I just follo...wed the prints of his shoes until I came to this corridor. Then I checked ev...ery door until I came to this. Not to mention that my sense of smell is much better than...than... the senses of... other people"

"So, you followed my scent?" Kelrian asked irritated.

"No... I smelled the Ranger-General's lovely rose perfume so I knew that you had to be here"

"How did you know I was with her?"

"I was the only one who saw you leaving... The others..." he randomly paused for some reason. "What I wanted to say?" he asked. His bleary eyes regarded Kelrian who was still frowning about his drunkenness.

"You wanted to tell me... Ah forget it, it doesn't matter anymore"

"You wanted to tell us that you want to go back to the others and leave us in peace" replied Sylvanas.

"Did I... Did I really wanted to say this? I'm not so sure... B...B...But on the other hand, I have no clue what I'm doing here. I think you are right, Lady Windrunner. I should go" he said laboriously. It was unmistakable that he was so drunk that it was hard for him to speak clearly and coherently. Sylvanas came to the conclusion that it was better for him to go to sleep in one of the many guest rooms.

"You should rest and get some sleep, Zetai. We won't train tomorrow so you have enough time to sleep off your drinks. But I think it would be better for you to stop drinking for today. You will be knocked out for days if you keep drinking. I need you to be fit in two days. The training will continue with or without you being well-rested. I would suggest that you go to sleep now, Recruit Zetai"

"As you wish... Ranger-General" responded Zetai and saluted before he turned around and left the balcony. Kelrian walked to the door, peeked out of it to make sure that Zetai really walked to one of the nearest guest rooms. He closed the door as soon as Zetai had entered one of the rooms. Kelrian turned around and walked back to Sylvanas who was leaning once again against the balustrade. Sylvanas smiled at him as she stared into his eyes.

"That was awkward"

"Do you know what wouldn't be awkward?"

"What?" he asked curiously.

"This" she whispered as she leaned in and attached her lips to his. Kelrian's eyes widened when he felt Sylvanas' lips, which were a lot softer than he had imagined, on his lips. His heart stopped for a few moments, the same counted for his breath. His mind went blank at this very moment so he wasn't able to react to her kiss. She kept pressing her warm lips against his, smiling into the kiss as she noticed that he was returning the kiss.

Sylvanas was the one who had initiated this kiss so she took the lead. She pressed her lips harder against his, chuckling when her ears heard the low moan which came out of Kelrian's mouth. She put her hand on the back of his head, deepening the kiss. Kelrian did nothing except returning the kiss. At first at least. He put his hands on her hips after a few moments and caressed them carefully but other than that he didn't do anything.

Sylvanas pulled away eventually, smiling widely while breathing heavily. Kelrian was out of breath as well. It took a while for him to realize what had happened. His brain began to work again, slowly assimilating the awesome kiss they had shared. Kelrian had never expected that kissing the Ranger-General would feel that good. He hadn't initiated the kiss, and he would have never found the courage for that, but he was happy that it happened.

He wasn't angry that Sylvanas had kissed him and it didn't seem that Sylvanas regretted what she had done. She wouldn't give him her brightest smile if she would regret having sealed her lips to his.

"So..." said Kelrian after a while.

"So..." mimicked Sylvanas, giggling softly. They stared at each other, observing the other's facial features. Sylvanas chuckled when she noticed Kelrian's reddened cheek and his slightly trembling bottom lip. Her facial expression, on the other hand, didn't change at all. She still had a satisfied expression on her face.

"We should go back to the main hall before my sister gets suspicious and looks for us"

"We should probably do that" Kelrian responded quietly. He was still stunned from the kiss and his brain was still had troubles handling the hundreds of thousands of thoughts which were in his mind at this very moment. He didn't know if Sylvanas had kissed him because she had really wanted or only because she was drunk. He had no clue how much impact the alcohol had had on Sylvanas' decision. He only knew that she had enjoyed the kiss the same way he had.

There were many unanswered questions in his mind. Will they be able to kiss again one day? Does she feel something for him? Was it only the effect of the alcohol which led her to kiss him? Will the kiss change anything between them? If things will change, will it become better or worse?

He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt Sylvanas' soft hand caressing his cheek. "You will wait here for a few minutes and then you will walk back to the hall. People will get suspicious and ask questions if we return together, so we should return separately. And do me a favour and do not tell anyone about what happened between us. This will be a secret only between you and me. Only us and no one else should ever know about this kiss"

Kelrian nodded. Sylvanas smiled at him, caressing his cheek a few times before she left the room. Kelrian walked to the door and peeked out. Sylvanas was swaying her hips in the sexiest way as she walked and Kelrian was not able to avert his gaze from her well-formed butt. He kept staring at her until she walked out of his field of vision. He obeyed Sylvanas' request and waited for a few minutes, then he started to walk back to the main hall where the celebration was still taking place.


	9. Reflections

"Oh shit, what did I do last night?" Kelrian muttered. He opened his eyes, closing them immediately as he noticed that everything was spinning around him. He turned around and buried his face in his pillow, hoping that this would make the world stop spinning around him. He tried to remember what had happened the previous day but he didn't remember much.

There was a celebration. He had sat at a table with his friends. They had talked and drunk a lot of alcohol, at least everyone but him. Then he had met Sylvanas and followed her to this balcony. He was not sure if he remembered correctly that Sylvanas had kissed him after they had talked for a while. He tried to remember harder, coming to the conclusion that it was true that Sylvanas had kissed him.

He turned his head a little, touching his lips with the tips of his fingers. He could still feel Sylvanas' lips on his. Her soft, warm and full lips. He still remembered how her lipstick had tasted. It had tasted after peaches. He was also remembering the lovely smells of her perfume and her hair. He was one hundred percent sure that Sylvanas had kissed him but he was not sure if she had done it because she had really wanted it or because the alcohol had led her to do that.

If it was not the alcohol this could mean that she had feelings for him. Kelrian shook his head, pressing his face against the pillow again. No, there was no way Sylvanas Windrunner was interested in him. He was just an ordinary ranger while she was a legend. There was no way Sylvanas would want something from an ordinary ranger. He had heard rumours that Sylvanas hadn't had a male lover in sixty years. Not to mention the rumours about her and her best friend Verena.

Maybe she wasn't interested in men. Maybe she was really interested in women and this kiss had just been an accident. An accident caused by the large amount of alcohol Sylvanas had consumed.

Kelrian shook his head once again, burying his face deeper in his pillow. No, this didn't make sense either. Sylvanas wouldn't show so much interest in him and wouldn't favour him if she wouldn't feel something for him, wouldn't she?

Kelrian had no clue what he should think about this entire situation. He had no clue what was right and what was wrong. Maybe he was misinterpreting things. He was not sure about everything which concerned Sylvanas.

He decided that it was the best to not approach her about the previous day. He would wait that Sylvanas would say something, if not he will just forget that it happened and never speak about it.

He turned around after a while, sighing out in relief when he noticed that the world around him wasn't spinning anymore. He still had a bad headache but at least he was able to recognize his surroundings.

He tried to remember what happened after the kiss but there was nothing but darkness. He didn't remember what had happened after the kiss. There was nothing. A lot could have happened.

Maybe it was better not to remember what had happened after the kiss. He had been drunk so the chances were high that he had done something he would be ashamed of if he would know about it.

He got up after a while, walking to the mirror next to his wardrobe. He regarded himself, noticing that he was wearing nothing at all. Why was he naked? Did he walk home alone or did someone bring him to Liadrin's house?

He hoped that he had managed to walk home alone, otherwise it would be very awkward, considering that he must have stripped off his clothes before going to bed. He was just hoping that no one had seen him undressing before going to bed. He shook his head slightly as he decided to not think about this anymore. He came to the conclusion that it was the best to stop thinking about what happened yesterday and just leave it behind him. The best was if he would act as if nothing had happened.

He opened his wardrobe and pulled out underwear, socks and his recruit uniform. He got dressed and left his room quickly, walking to the kitchen. A surprised expression appeared on his face when he spotted a familiar person sitting at the table. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm living here, silly" responded Liadrin with a small smile on her lips. She had crossed one of her legs over the other and was sipping on a cup of tea.

"I know that but I... Never mind. I'm just surprised to see you here right now. I thought you are working for Sylvanas' main team from Monday to Friday"

"I am but yesterday was the celebration which all recruits who had passed and all instructors have attended. Whenever such a celebration takes place all Farstriders and priests who have attended the celebration have a day off to recover from the many glasses and bottles of alcohol they have consumed" Liadrin explained.

"But you didn't attend the celebration, didn't you?" he asked as he took a seat opposite to her.

"I didn't attend the celebration that's right but the rest of my team did. Sylvanas could have sent me to a hospital to take care of the injured and sick but instead, she gave me the day off so I could look after you"

Kelrian took an apple and regarded it for a short moment before he took a bite. "As you can see, I'm fine" he spoke with a half-full mouth.

She chuckled, giving him a teasing grin. "Are you sure about that?"

He nodded in return.

"You weren't fine yesterday when the Ranger-General brought you home"

Kelrian spat out the pieces of apple he was chewing on when he heard what his cousin had just said. "Excuse me?" he asked, leaning forward. He regarded Liadrin with widened eyes, hoping that she was joking about this.

But she was not joking about this. She meant it seriously and she told him this.

"What happened exactly?" he asked.

"Well, shortly after midnight someone knocked at the door. I was tired and half asleep when I opened the door to look who was disturbing me at this late hour. It was a very drunk Ranger-General with her very drunk subordinate. I didn't protest as she brought you up to your room and left an hour later"

"She left an hour later?" asked Kelrian. His voice was a bit louder and filled with irritation and surprise.

"She did"

"What did she do while she was in my room?"

"I have no clue. I didn't dare to ask and I was too tired, to be honest. You should be the one who should answer this question"

"I have no clue what happened after... after..."

"After what?" asked Liadrin, raising an eyebrow as she gave him a curious look.

"After... I talked to her privately"

"You talked to her privately?"

"Why are you grinning like this?" asked Kelrian, pointing at the teasing grin on Liadrin's lips.

She giggled, patting his shoulder playfully. "I don't know what you are talking about"

"Of course, you do" exclaimed Kelrian. It was unmistakable that he was not amused at this very moment.

"Ah, c' mon, Kel. You know that I'm just making fun of you. Don't be such a sourpuss"

"I'm not a sourpuss" he responded quietly. He took a banana from the fruit plate in front of him and started to peel it.

Liadrin regarded her cousin while sulking. She was wondering why Sylvanas herself had carried him home. She could have sent one of her rangers to bring him home. She was also wondering why she had stayed in his room for an hour.

What did they do there? Did they...? No, Sylvanas wouldn't take advantage of a drunk man, even though she liked him, wouldn't she? Kelrian was her subordinate after all. On the other hand, Liadrin had never seen Sylvanas so drunk before. Normally, the Ranger-General didn't drink much so she could control her actions. But yesterday she had been so drunk. This meant that everything could be possible.

Maybe Kelrian knew something but he didn't want to tell it for some reason. Maybe it embarrassed him too much, so he had decided to not tell anyone about it. Liadrin wanted to know so badly what had happened yesterday but she knew that she wouldn't get any information from him if she would pressure him. Maybe she could involve him in a conversation and elicit a few information. Maybe she could find out something. Maybe she didn't find out anything but she could try it at least.

She put her hand on his, caressing it softly. She waited until he lifted his head and looked at her. "So, you don't remember what happened yesterday after she brought you home?"

He shook his head. "I can't remember what happened after I talked with her at the celebration"

"I didn't remember that you like to drink so much"

"I normally don't drink alcohol but... I don't know... Lady Windrunner convinced me to try a sip. The sip turned into a whole glass which turned into many glasses. I don't know why I drank so many of them. If only I knew the reason for that"

"I think I know the reason and I can understand it"

Kelrian tilted his head, giving her a questionable look. "What do you mean?"

She chuckled about his innocence. "C'mon, I'm not the only one who has noticed the way you look at her and the way she looks at you"

"What do you mean?" he asked confused.

Liadrin chuckled once again, shaking her head amused while smiling. "I guess it's better if you find out for yourself what you are for Sylvanas"

"I'm her recruit, that's all I am to her"

"Sure, you are but you are also her favourite recruit. I think she really likes you. And with really I really mean REALLY"

"If you say so" he responded quietly and looked at his fingers.

Was Liadrin serious about this? Was she telling him the truth or was she just mocking him like she usually did from time to time? No, he wouldn't believe that. Liadrin loved to make jokes about him from time to time but she would never about something which involved others. She would never give false hints about people who had feelings for Kelrian. She had never made jokes when he had met his first girlfriend. She had supported him and given him tips on how to talk to women. She would never give him false hopes. She was always honest with him.

So, this could only mean that Sylvanas was really feeling something for him, at least Liadrin was interpreting that. Kelrian was still unsure about his feelings nor was he sure if Sylvanas was really feeling something for him. But the kiss and these comments from Liadrin...

Kelrian was so confused at this very moment. Maybe she was feeling something for him and maybe he was feeling something for her but what would that mean for Sylvanas and him?

He couldn't just confess to her and start a relationship with her. Sylvanas was one of the most famous persons of Quel'Thalas. He would stand in the midpoint if people would find out about their relationship. There would be many people who would be jealous of him and maybe treat him differently in a negative way. Not to mention that Sylvanas would also be focused. People would talk about them but not always positively. People will say that he had only gotten his spot in Sylvanas' trainee squad because she had feelings for him and not because he deserved it. Kelrian was sure that he would manage to handle such gossips but he was not sure if Sylvanas would. He was worried that something between them would cause troubles for her.

He was brought out of his thoughts by Liadrin who patted his shoulder softly. "I've given you many tips about women in general. I don't think a relationship with Sylvanas is impossible but it would be more difficult than your previous relationship. But first, you have to think about yourself and your feelings for Sylvanas. I know you feel something for her, you just need to figure out what exactly you feel. You need to be one hundred percent sure about everything before you do the next step. A secret relationship would be the best solution. Think about it and don't hesitate to come to me if you have found out what you feel for her"

"I will " responded Kelrian as he stood up. "Thanks for your advice, Liadrin"

"Where are you going?" the priestess asked curiously.

"I just want to catch some fresh air and get my head clear so I could think about what you just told me"

"Okay, see you soon I guess" she responded and waved at him. He waved back, giving her a small smile before he walked to out of the kitchen.

* * *

_Her hand reached out for his, caressing it softly as soon as she got it. Her lips placed soft kisses over the length of his ear. Her wet body was pressed against his so she could feel the warmth which was radiated by his body. Her other hand rested on his belly, caressing his stomach muscles. She intertwined her fingers with his and began to kiss his neck softly as her other hand travelled downwards until it reached the waistband of his pants. She didn't hesitate to take the big thing in her hands which was already waiting to be touched. The corners of her lips formed a smile when her ears recognized the low moan which had escaped his lips. She loved to be the aggressive one. She loved to be the one who initiated everything. She loved to be the one who was having the active part._

_She loved to be in control so she really enjoyed when she pleasured the man next to her. His moans were music for her ears and the faces, he made when she satisfied him, were priceless. Sylvanas was working wonders with her skilled fingers. He really enjoyed it but he didn't want that their love-making would be one-sided. He wanted to do something for her. He wanted to return her service. He took her hands away from his private part then he put them over her head and tied them together. She gave him a confused look but he ignored that and made the next step._

_She noticed too late that his hand had moved downwards and was now resting between her legs. He was rubbing her through the fabric of her blue panties. He was very good at what he was doing, causing that a low moan escaped the Ranger-General's lips. Her moans became louder as he removed her panties and started to caress her southern lips with his skilled fingers. He pressed his thumb on her love bud, causing that a wave of pleasure was built up in her slowly. The wave became stronger as his fingers slipped in her wet folds and started to penetrate them. The single low moans which had escaped her lips from time to time turned into a melody of moans which was loud and echoed through the room._

_In the end, she couldn't take it anymore. The wave of pleasure hit her hard, causing that her entire body trembled in excitement. She smiled and looked at the man she loved as she rode out her orgasm._

_She stared at the fingers right in front of her face which were covered by her climax. But these fingers weren't Kelrian's fingers. He was not even in the same room as Sylvanas. He was not naked nor did he lie in her bed. Only Sylvanas herself laid in her bed with nothing on except for her birthday suit. She was panting heavily, exhausted but also satisfied by the orgasm she just had._

She realized soon enough that the hand which had pleasured her was her own. She blushed when she realized that she had pleasured herself while thinking about Kelrian. She had once pleasured herself while thinking about him wearing nothing but his swimming trunks. But this time she had imagined doing it with him. Sylvanas shook her head slightly, cleaning her fingers with a handkerchief.

She noticed that a person had opened the door and was standing in it. Her facial features derailed, she opened her mouth to say something but no word came out. The person chuckled when Sylvanas' face became redder.

Sylvanas didn't hesitate to grab her blanket and cover her body with it. "Ah c'mon Sylvie, you don't need to cover yourself. There is nothing I haven't seen before" the person said as she walked to Sylvanas' bed and sat down on the edge. She put her hand on Sylvanas' head, running her fingers through her majestic golden-hair.

"If you are sexually frustrated and tired of men you can come to me whenever you want. I will make sure that all your worries will vanish" the person said, giggling softly.

"Thanks for the offering Verena but I will pass on this"

"Are you sure about this?" her best friend asked. She tilted her head and regarded Sylvanas with a teasing smirk on her lips.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure about that" she responded, regarding Verena curiously.

Verena just shrugged with her shoulders, giving her a playful smile. "I still love you, you know"

"I know, Verena but you know that I'm not really interested in women. I'm attracted to men and not to women. You were the only exception"

"Were?" she asked, sounding a bit sad.

"Are" corrected Sylvanas. "You are gorgeous and smart, and I have really enjoyed the few years where we have dated secretly but... you know..."

Sylvanas stopped speaking as Verena pressed her index finger on her lips, silencing her. Sylvanas frowned and raised an eyebrow, regarded her best friend curiously.

"You don't need to explain yourself again. You have told me once why something between us would never work and I've accepted it"

"I know. I still feel bad for having refused your proposal"

"You don't need to. The spreading of the rumours about us stopped when you refused me. Our lives got easier, especially mine because I was not in the midpoint anymore. People stopped talking about me and they stopped staring at me all the time"

"If you say so" responded Sylvanas. She didn't seem to be convinced by this statement. But she knew her best friend since her youth. She knew when Verena was telling the truth and when she was lying. She could read her like a book. A very chatty book in this case.

Verena used the opportunity, where Sylvanas was lost in thoughts and couldn't stop Verena from whatever she wanted to do, to slip under the blanket and put her arm around her friend's shoulders. Sylvanas turned her head when she noticed what her friend had done. She didn't move away, she just regarded Verena. "What are you doing?"

"Well, it seems that you need body contact so I'm here to give you what you need" responded Verena. She gave Sylvanas a teasing grin as she put her hands on her hips, caressing them softly.

"I don't need body contact"

Verena giggled. "Understandable after you touched yourself for so long"

Sylvanas' cheeks became as red as a tomato. "Wait... you saw that?" stuttered Sylvanas nervously.

"Yep, I saw everything. Damn Sylvie, seeing you touching your breasts and slipping your skilled and smooth fingers in your womanhood looked pretty damn hot. It was hard for me to not take advantage of that. It was also hard to not touch myself while regarding you touching yourself" teased Verena.

Sylvanas rolled her eyes "Gosh, Verena. You are impossible"

The other woman didn't respond to her. She just laughed about Sylvanas' reaction.

"Why did you watch? Why didn't you let me know you were here"

Verena gave her a teasing grin. "First of all, I found it pretty sexy what you were doing. I also didn't want to interrupt your release of stress. I know you haven't slept with a man for seventy years so I didn't want to stop you from making yourself feel better. You deserve to feel good and I understand that you are tired of short-lived relationships and one-night-stands. I understand why you haven't slept with a man for so long"

"If it would be up to you, I would never be allowed to have sex with a man again. You would want me only for you, until the end of the time"

"You are right about this, Sylvie. Good for you that I'm not the one who is deciding about your life"

Sylvanas chuckled. "You would want me to only wear clothing which would accentuate my curves"

"You are god damn right. I love your curves, especially your breasts" responded Verena and put her hands on her ex-lover's huge rounds.

"Stop it, Verena. I will say it only one time"

"Fine" moaned Verena, lifting her hands to signalize Sylvanas that she surrendered. Sylvanas chuckled and shook her head slightly. She wouldn't admit it to her but she loved Verena's silly side. She loved joking and fooling around with her. She loved to hang around with her and do things no mature woman would do.

They knew each other since their youth and sometimes they behaved as they had behaved during their youth. Sylvanas was always serious when others were around. She could only relax and not be the strict Ranger-General when she was alone with Kelrian or Verena. She could only be herself when no one was around her, no one except for these two. These two were the only persons who could take all the pressure from her shoulders without needing to do much.

Verena did that with her perverted jokes and her silliness while Kelrian didn't need to do anything in particular. He just needed to be around to make Sylvanas feel better. She had grown fond of him over the past ten years. When they first had met, he hadn't appeared to be the perfect recruit Sylvanas had been looking for. He had been worse than most of the other candidates but he hadn't given up. Not even after he had failed the examination for the second time. Others would have given up and looked for another profession.

But not Kelrian. He had trained hard over eight years to get good enough to pass the third examination and become a member of Sylvanas' newest training group. He had proved that he had lots of patience and a very strong will. He deserved to be trained by her, especially because Sylvanas was sure that he would become one of the best Farstriders one day under her watch. She was sure that he wouldn't disappoint her. She will prove her sister and the other examiners that they had been wrong about him. She will prove that her assumption was right.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she felt that Verena had pinched her left nipple. Sylvanas raised an eyebrow, regarding her best friend.

"You are back in our reality" spoke Verena.

"I've never been somewhere else" exclaimed Sylvanas.

"You were daydreaming or lost in thoughts"

"You are right"

"What were you thinking about?"

"I think you already know the answer" replied Sylvanas.

"Kelrian, right?"

Sylvanas nodded.

"You thought about him when you masturbated, didn't you?"

Sylvanas blushed and hesitated for a few moments. Verena knew her from her youth, she could read her like an open book so there was no reason to lie to her. Sylvanas nodded her head, slower this time.

Verena chuckled and grinned teasingly. "I knew it. Do you want to know about who I'm thinking when I masturbate?"

"About me" responded Sylvanas without hesitation.

"Exactly" responded Verena, patting Sylvanas shoulder. She pulled the blanket up for a little, observing Sylvanas' nude body from head to toe. "May I touch your breasts one more time. Only for a short moment"

"No"

A faked growl escaped Verena's lips. "Fine. How was the celebration?"

"Good"

"Only good?" Verena dug deeper. She was pretty sure that her friend had much more on her mind but she didn't want to say it for some reason.

"Well... What do you want to know?"

"I don't care about the details. Just tell me if you and Kelrian interacted"

"We did"

"Tell me more"

Sylvanas sighed. "We talked privately, drank some alcohol and then we kissed"

A big smile appeared on Verena's lips. "AAANNNDDDD?"

"I enjoyed the kiss and I am pretty sure he enjoyed it as well"

"What happened after the kiss?" asked Verena, sounding more curious and excited than before. It was unmistakable that she was really happy for her. She was hoping that things would work out between Sylvanas and Kelrian even though she still loved Sylvanas. She knew she couldn't have Sylvanas but she didn't stop loving her. She loved Sylvanas so much that she wanted that she could happy with someone else who truly loved her.

She had talked with Sylvanas a lot about Kelrian and she had given her useful tips over the years. She had advised her to not rush things and to not do silly or stupid actions. She had preached that patience was really important if Sylvanas wanted to be together with the younger elf one day. She had done everything in her power to support Sylvanas and the Ranger-General was more than glad to have her.

"Well, he was too drunk to go home alone. I was drunk as well but my vision was still good enough and I was still able to walk without staggering so I brought him to Liadrin's house. I brought him up to his room and then..."

"Then what?" asked Verena, nearly jumping on Sylvanas because she was super excited to hear more.

"I spent an hour in his room"

"Ohoh" sang Verena. She gave Sylvanas a teasing grin and patted her shoulder softly. "Sylvanas, you naughty girl"

"Naughty girl? Wait... what are you thinking about?" asked Sylvanas with a confused expression on her face.

"Probably not what you were referring to"

"What do you think I was referring to?"

"Isn't that obvious, Sylvie? You know me pretty well. I'm a pervert, you should know what I thought first"

"You thought I had sex with him?"

"Haven't you?"

"No, of course not" exclaimed Sylvanas. "He was too drunk. I would never take advantage of a drunk person, not even when I'm drunk too"

"So, what did you do instead?" Verena asked curious.

"We talked a bit and then I watched him sleep"

"Creepy"

"Creepy? Do you want to know what is creepy?"

"Sure"

"It's creepy that I pleasured myself two times while thinking about my subordinate. Today, I even imagined having sex with him"

"There is nothing wrong about masturbating while thinking about a person you really find attractive. I always imagine you pleasuring me when I play with myself" Verena admitted with faked shame.

Sylvanas shook her head about this statement and threw her pillow in her best friend's face. Verena laughed and threw the pillow back at Sylvanas who caught it and put it back beneath her head.

"So, what are we doing now. Do you want to talk about Kelrian?"

"Yes, but not now. I'm very hungry. Let's go to the kitchen and eat breakfast. Then we can talk about my feelings for him"

"Sounds fine to me" responded Verena. She got up and helped Sylvanas getting dressed. Of course, she used every opportunity to touch Sylvanas while helping her taking on her clothes. Nor did she stop looking at Sylvanas' breasts and her firm ass. Sylvanas didn't mind at all because she and Verena had been lovers for eight years which meant that Verena had seen everything of her and had already touched every spot of her body countless times. She didn't need to be embarrassed about showing her best friend her nude form.

The two women got ready and left the room. Both of them were really hungry so they couldn't wait to make breakfast and satisfy their hunger.


	10. Investigation

Kelrian arrived at the Farstrider Enclave after riding for an hour. He brought his horse to the stable next to the building. One of the stable master's apprentices took the horse and guided it inside. Kelrian gave the boy a silver coin before he turned around and regarded the impressive building next to him. It was not a closed building with closed rooms like most of the other important buildings and houses in Quel'Thalas. It was a very opened place where lots of rangers were gathered. They could enjoy the fresh air while they talked about certain topics or discussed missions and tasks.

There was a large platform at the back of this building. A red and golden coloured mandala decorated the ground of the platform. In the middle of the platform was a fireplace around which a few rangers stood. There was even a Ranger-Captain among them. From the platform run two bent stairs-like paths which led to the top of two round turret-like building parts. There were also a few large pillars which supported the building's roof. The roof, which was covered by yellow tiles, only protected the Farstriders from rain which came from above.

Kelrian regarded the magnificent building for a few minutes before walked over to it. He was greeted by the recruits and rangers he passed and he greeted them in return, of course. He even spotted a few recruits he knew very well but he didn't walk over to them. He didn't want to be late so he hurried to the turret-like construct on the left side of the building. He took a deep breath, collecting himself before he knocked at the door.

"Who is it?" asked the most beautiful voice he had ever heard.

"Kelrian"

"Wait a moment" Sylvanas responded. "You may enter now" she said after a minute.

Kelrian didn't hesitate to open the door, entering the room immediately. He closed the door behind him, turning his head to the direction where he expected Sylvanas. But she wasn't sitting on her chair behind her desk. Instead, she was standing next to the door and regarded her apprentice curiously.

"I'm here" she said, smiling as Kelrian got startled by her sudden appearance.

He turned around immediately, holding his hand over the spot where his rapidly beating heart was. "You frightened me, Sylvanas"

"It was not my intention to do that. Sorry"

"You don't need to apologize" he said, smiling at her.

Sylvanas pointed at the chair in front of her desk, offering him to take a seat. He gave her a nod and walked to the chair, sitting down. Sylvanas walked to her chair and sat down as well. She pulled two glasses out of a drawer and filled it with moonberry juice. Kelrian thanked her and emptied half of his glass immediately.

Sylvanas smiled at him. "You seem to be very thirsty"

"The sun was shining all the way down at me when I rode from my home to this place. It's pretty hot outside"

"Indeed, it is"

"Thank you for offering me this drink"

Sylvanas chuckled. "You don't need to thank me for that. It's nothing extraordinary"

"I still want to thank you"

She returned his smile. "What can I do for you, Kelrian?"

"Who said that I want something from you?"

Sylvanas tilted her head. "Why else would you come to me?"

"Am I not allowed to just be around youor do I need to have a reason when I want to spend time with you?"

Sylvanas chuckled. "I'm flattered, you are the first person who pays me a visit without wanting something from me. So, once you are here, I want to talk to you about something"

Kelrian gave her a curious look. "I wanted to do the same, to be honest"

"So, you came to me for a reason I knew it" she said, giving him a teasing smile.

"Well, I... yeah. You are right but I'm also here because I really enjoy your company"

"I enjoy your company as well"

Kelrian's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

Sylvanas gave him a nod. "I would never lie to you" she said, putting her left hand on his right hand. Kelrian looked down at their hands, blushing as Sylvanas' hand caressed his.

"I believe you"

She smirked. "You better do so"

"About what do you want to talk, Sylvanas?" he asked, wondering if she also wanted to talk about the night two days ago.

"About the celebration and what happened there" she didn't break eye contact with Kelrian as she spoke.

Kelrian sighed out in relief. "That suits me fine. I also wanted to speak to you about what happened there. What happened between us, to be exactly"

"I think it is obvious what is going on between us" statemented Sylvanas.

Kelrian tilted his head, giving her a surprised look. "So, it was not the alcohol which led you to kiss me"

Sylvanas' facial expression became upset for a very short moment but then it became normal again. "Of course not. The alcohol may have strengthened my back but my feelings for you were already there since the first day I met you"

Kelrian was silent, not knowing what to say in response. He hadn't expected that Sylvanas' feelings for him existed since the first day they met. He had expected that her feelings for him had developed over the past years. Just like in his case. Finding out that she had feelings for him since ten and a half years made him speechless. He just stared at her, returning her smile.

She wasn't nervous at all. But he was, even though he had no reasons to. Sylvanas had told him that she was feeling something for him. She didn't seem to regret the kiss nor did she ignore him. These were good signs. Still, Kelrian felt insecure for some reason.

His gaze fell back on Sylvanas' hand which was resting on his. She intertwined their fingers and caressed the back of his hand with her thumb. She continued to smile at him, telling him that she was serious about her feelings for him. But Kelrian was still insecure. He felt unworthy of her. There were so many other men who were worthier than him, who also had a higher rank than him. They weren't expelled from their families and regarded as shames.

He, on the other hand, was just an ordinary recruit while she was the Ranger-General. She was Sylvanas Windrunner, the most beautiful woman of Quel'Thalas. And he was just the son of a priest who wanted to be a Farstrider. He was nothing compared to her.

"I fell for you from the first day we met" Sylvanas repeated. "I knew from day one that you were special. You haven't gotten much practise with the bow when you attended the first examination. You wanted to become a Farstrider so badly and you did everything to become one of us. You practised hard and you always stood up when you stumbled over an obstacle. You never gave up, even after you failed the second time. You pulled yourself up and worked harder. You passed the third entrance exam and even the intermediate exam.

I admire your will power and your stamina. Others would have given up after the first or second failure but you didn't. You ignored the opinions of the others and you tried it over and over again. You did it **.** You became a recruit against the expectations of many high ranked rangers. I knew from the beginning that you will make it through the exam one day. I really admire you Kelrian and I can't hide my feelings anymore. I have hidden them for ten years because I was insecure. But I'm not anymore. Not after our kiss, which felt right to me"

Kelrian was silent for a few minutes. He stared into those gorgeous blue eyes which regarded him curiously. Sylvanas' and his fingers were still intertwined but he didn't mind that. He really enjoyed close contact with her soft and skilled fingersbrushing his while looking into her eyes made his heart beat faster. His body reacted positively to her, only his mind was unsure of this entire situation. He was still insecure about everything.

He didn't know what would happen if a relationship between them wouldn't work out. Would she get distant to him? Would she put him in another regiment? Would she treat him differently?

_Do I have similar feelings for her? Do I love her? Or do I only regard her as a very close friend and as my mentor?_

He had feelings for her but he was not sure if these feelings were similar to the ones Sylvanas had for him. He had talked with Liadrin about his feelings but he was still insecure. Insecure about everything.

"But you are not favouring me because of your feelings for me, aren't you?"

"Of course not. I favour you because I believe that you can become one of the best Farstriders if you train hard enough"

"I'm glad you believe in me, unlike everyone else". His response sounded sadder than it was supposed to be. Sylvanas put her other hand on Kelrian's shoulder, patting it softly. Her smile was enough to drive out all worry and sadness. He returned her smile, staring into her eyes. She did the same, caressing the back of his hand with her thumb.

"Now you know how I feel about you. Is there anything you want to say to me?" Sylvanas asked curiously. She was hoping that he would tell her that he loved her. Such a confession would make things a lot easier for them.

"We...ll...I..." Kelrian began but stopped speaking when he noticed that he was stuttering. He closed his eyes for a few moments, calming down eventually. He opened them and stared once again into Sylvanas' gorgeous eyes.

"I'm not sure what to think at this very moment. I'm flattered but I don't know exactly how I feel about you. I feel more than friendship, I know that for sure but I'm still unsure about my feelings... I need more time to figure out how I feel about you..." he responded quietly, looking ashamed at his feet.

He felt Sylvanas' hand under his chin. He didn't want to look at her but he had no choice because the Ranger-General lifted his chin and forced him to look at her. A quiet sigh of relief escaped his lips when he realized that Sylvanas was neither angry or hurt. On the contrary, she gave him an understanding look. Her likable smile comforted him and convinced him that everything was alright.

Sylvanas didn't show that she was a bit disappointed. She could understand him so she didn't want to push him. She assumed that he felt unworthy of her or maybe he was just insecure about his feelings. She couldn't know that but she didn't want to ask more questions because she didn't want to put him under pressure.

She was a hunter and hunters often needed to be patient. And Sylvanas was a patient person. She wouldn't have gone without sex for sixty years if she wouldn't be a patient person. She was waiting for the right person and she was pretty sure that Kelrian was the right person she wanted to be with. She just had to give him enough time. Pressuring him would only scare him away.

"I understand you, Kelrian"

"Do you really?" he asked.

"I do. I don't want to put pressure on your shoulders and I don't want to push you. I understand that you need time to think about everything. Just keep in mind that I will never be angry about you if you don't feel the same and I won't treat you differently if you reject me. We can't force anyone to love us. Take your time and tell me how you feel as soon as you are ready. And don't be afraid of me. I'm a big girl, I can handle rejections"

Kelrian didn't say anything, he just nodded to her. He looked at their intertwined fingers, then at Sylvanas. He remained silent for a few moments before he spoke eventually. "Thank you for your understanding"

"No problem, Kelrian"

"May I go now or do you have something else you want to talk about?"

"Not now. You can leave if you want"

Kelrian pulled his hand away and stood up. Sylvanas did the same and walked to him, guiding him to the door. She opened it but put her hand on Kelrian's cheeks before he could walk out of the office. She leaned in and kissed his left cheek softly, giggling when she saw the deep blush on his face. He stared into her sky-blue eyes for a few moments. He realized too late what he was doing, so he couldn't stop it. He mimicked Sylvanas' move and kissed her cheek softly. His face became as red as a tomato when he pulled back.

Sylvanas made an amused and satisfied face but she didn't say anything. She just caressed his cheek for a few moments and looked at him. "Don't forget that we and the rest of the group will meet in Fairbreeze Village in two hours"

"Don't worry, I won't be late"

"Good" responded Sylvanas and gave him her brightest smile, regarding him for a few moments before she waved at him and closed the door after he had left her office.

* * *

Kelrian arrived in Fairbreeze Village. He looked around, noticing that no other member of his group was here. He was half an hour too early so he thought about what he could do until the others would arrive. He looked over to the market house where the village's traders were selling their goods. He was figuring out if he needed something from them. Nothing came in his mind which he really needed. Nevertheless, he decided to walk over to the house to find out what the traders were offering.

He spotted two women and one man in the shop. He had met these traders a few times whenever his group had made a stop in this village to buy supplies. Kelrian had gotten known to them a little because he had talked to them from time to tim **e**. The woman with the silver dyed hair was Sathiel. She was at least double the age of Kelrian and sold items which could be used for mining or dyeing cloths and other materials. The other woman had the name Marniel Amberlight and wore a beautiful yellow-purple coloured dress. She was selling various delicious food and drinks.

The last trader was named Halis Dawnstrider and wore purple leggings and a turquoise tunic. He sold bags and other stuff which could be useful for an adventure. Kelrian greeted them, observing their offerings. He talked with them a little, mostly about casual topics and his apprenticeship. He wished he could stay longer and talk more with them but he had to look out for the others. He bought a few flasks filled with melon juice, giving Marniel a few more coins as a bonus. She nodded to him and gave him a thankful smile. Kelrian put the flasks in his bag and said goodbye to the traders before he left the shop.

He walked to the centre of the village, noticing that Zetai and Kelia were standing in the near of one of the smaller houses. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice Kelrian, not even when he approached them and stopped right in front of them. He waited a few minutes, not saying anything while he listened to them. They were talking about dragonhawks and other beautiful creatures which lived in the forests of Quel'Thalas.

Kelrian cleared his throat after he had listened to them for a while, greeting them as soon as they turned to him. Kelia pulled him in a quick hug while Zetai offered him a handshake. Kelrian didn't hesitate to accept the handshake, smiling at his friend.

"Have you seen the others?" Kelrian asked curiously.

Kelia shook her head. "No, we haven't. We haven't seen the Ranger-General either. Normally she is at least half an hour earlier than us but today she isn't. I wonder why"

"Maybe she is busy because has to do a lot of work so she can't allow herself to be here earlier and do nothing while she is waiting for us. Even if, I'm pretty sure she will arrive on time" responded Kelrian. He thought about the stacks of documents he had spotted on Sylvanas' desk. He was wondering how many hours she would need to work them off. She wouldn't finish the stacks in a few hours, he knew that for sure.

But she would finish them sooner than others would because she was a really hard-working person who did her work no matter if she liked it or not. She would do everything which was necessary. She didn't even mind working a lot longer than she had to. No matter if she would have less free time or less time to sleep. She only went to her home when everything was done.

There had been times where Sylvanas hadn't left her office for a whole week. She had constantly worked off the stacks of documents and only made pauses to eat or sleep for a few hours. Her sister had told her more than one time that she didn't need to do this, that she could take an assistant who could help her but Sylvanas insisted on doing this on her own. Alleria had accepted her decision because she was tired of discussing with her stubborn little sister.

"Who will arrive on time?" asked a familiar voice. The recruits turned around, making surprised faces as they saw Sylvanas standing to their right. None of them had seen her coming nor had they heard her. None of the recruits had heard any footsteps as if the Ranger-General had appeared out of nowhere.

"Nobody, Ranger-General" responded Kelia.

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow. "You were talking about me, weren't you?"

"Yes, we were. We were just wondering why you didn't arrive earlier as usual"

"I have assumed that. I was busy with a lot of paperwork so I didn't manage to come earlier" responded Sylvanas. Her gaze shifted from Kelia to Zetai and then to Kelrian. "All of you look very relaxed so I assumed you get enough sleep. I've been afraid that some of you would still be affected by the after-effects of the alcohol. It wouldn't be the first time that a few recruits would be missing on the first day of the following week after such a celebration"

"Well, Saith and Vendora are still missing" said Zetai.

"I'm pretty sure that they will come sooner or later"

Indeed, they did. They arrived five minutes later. Unlike Zetai and Kelrian, they hadn't drunk much at the celebration so they didn't feel unwell. Kelrian and Zetai didn't feel unwell either because they had slept a lot while Saith and Vendora had been able to use their free time differently. They hadn't needed to sleep half of the day to feel well again.

"Now that we are complete, we can finally begin" statemented Sylvanas.

"What are we doing?" Kelrian asked curiously.

"We are investigating something"

"Investigating something? What do we investigate?"

"Bandits. Bandits have been seen near this village. We need to catch them. We can't allow that renegades and criminals threat, harm or rob the citizens of Quel'Thalas. It's our duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves" explained Sylvanas.

"Where do we start our investigation?" asked Kelia.

"We will check the surroundings of the village and speak with the inhabitants. Saith and Vendora will speak with them and gain as many useful information as possible. Kelia and Zetai will take a closer look at the nearest forests. It's not unusual that bandits set up their camps in forests. They also love to hide in dark caves. Kelrian and I will follow the main road which leads to the next larger city. Maybe we can find some tracks there. We will meet again in four hours" told Sylvanas. She asked if someone had questions but none of them asked her something. Everyone understood what they had to do.

Nobody had an objection so the group split up. Kelrian found himself next to Sylvanas as they walked out of the village to the main road which was wide and plastered with firm stones. The main road was taken by lots of people every day so Kelrian was asking himself why the Ranger-General wanted to investigate it. It would be almost impossible to figure out which footprints belonged to traders, inhabitants of the village or visitors, and which footprints would belong to the bandits.

He was not even sure if the bandits would have taken this road. It didn't make sense to him that bandits would show themselves on a well-known and often used road where everyone could see them. Bandits would only take this road when they would be sure that no one could see and recognize them. That would mean that the bandits came at night when it was dark and most people were sleeping. If they had used this road.

Kelrian didn't say anything. He just followed Sylvanas, keeping his eyes on the ground and on the surroundings at the same time. They followed the main road for a while without finding anything useful. They came to a crossroad with three paths which led in three different directions.

Sylvanas stopped in the middle of the crossroad, observing every path closely. Kelrian didn't know what she had seen to decide to take the path to the west but he followed her without asking questions. Kelrian was still curious why Sylvanas had taken this way so he asked her after they had walked for twenty minutes.

"I haven't found much, only a few pieces of cloth and a few rusty coins. There are no real hints that the bandits went this way" told Sylvanas, looking at him over her shoulder while she continued to walk.

"So, why are we following this path then and not the others?"

"For some reason, my gut instinct told me that they went this way. This is only an investigation. We aren't chasing them. We are not in a rush so we can take a closer look at every path they might have taken. I've heard that the bandits had been in this area, so we have to observe more than just the village and the nearest forest. We have to investigate the entire area around it"

"I'm not sure if we will find many hints in this area"

"I understand your doubts but there aren't many villagers we can question so we have to find hints elsewhere"

"I understand that but we have no hints which could help us. We have no clue where we should start with our search. We are just wandering around and hope that we find something. Maybe we should have asked the villagers together and then go to the places where the bandits had been seen. We have to be really lucky if we want to find anything here"

"Trust me, Kelrian. I'm doing this for quite some time. I have investigated lots of things and followed lots of groups of bandits since I became a ranger. I have lots of experience. Trust me, I know what I'm doing"

"I believe you" he responded quietly.

"So, why do you doubt my decisions then?"

"I'm not doubting your decisions, Ranger-General"

Sylvanas stopped and turned around, looking at him. "But you don't understand why we are doing this, right?"

"Well, I..." he said but he was too nervous to finish his sentence. He returned Sylvanas' staring and took a deep breath before he responded to her without stuttering. "I'm not convinced that we find any hints in this area. There are so many footprints on the ground that it would be impossible to find out which belong to the bandits. If any of these footprints belong to them. We don't even know if they went this way"

"Do you trust me?" asked Sylvanas and stared deeper into his eyes.

"Of course I do" Kelrian responded immediately.

"Why do you doubt my decisions then?" she asked with a strict expression on her face.

"Errm..." Kelrian had no clue what to say at this moment. Of course, he trusted Sylvanas. She was the best ranger of Quel'Thalas and she had a lot of experience. Sylvanas knew what she was doing because she was doing that for quite some time. Kelrian regretted immediately that he had doubted her. If Sylvanas was sure that she was following the right path then she was following the right path. He knew that she was never wrong about her assumptions. She always trusted her instincts which had never led her on a wrong trail. She just followed her instincts which told her to follow this path.

"I'm sorry, Ranger-General" said Kelrian eventually after he had been silent for a few moments.

"It's okay" she said, giving him a small smile. She put her hand on his shoulder, patting it softly. He returned her smile, staring into her gorgeous eyes. Sylvanas cleared her throat after a few minutes, bringing him back to the present. "Can we continue walking then?

"Of course, Ranger-General"

"I think I told you that you can call me by my name when we are alone"

"I remember that but I thought you meant it only when we are in a closed room where nobody can hear or see us"

"Do you see anyone in our near?" she asked as she spun around and pointed at the surroundings.

"Well, no but what if an invisible person follows us?"

"Are you serious about this?" asked Sylvanas, assuming that he had meant this as a joke.

"Of course not"

Sylvanas chuckled. "Good, let's keep moving then"

They didn't find any useful hint in the next thirty minutes. They came to another crossroad, taking the way which led to the west. They followed this path for a while and then they came to a small forest, in which lots of trees with colourful leaves stood. Some of them had orange and even red leaves, others had green or yellow leaves. The Eversong Forest was known for its variety in tree species and for its beauty. They regarded the forest for a few moments before they entered it, beginning to walk straight through it. They checked their surroundings closely, stopping after a while.

Sylvanas bowed down and stroked over the ground which was covered by lots of colourful leaves. There was a small pile of leaves which stood out from the even swept it away, smiling when she saw something beneath it. They found the remains of an extinguished bonfire.

"I knew there had to be something beneath it. It was too obvious. This is not the work of professional bandits. Professional bandits would have covered her tracks much better. I would have still been able to identify them but it would have been a lot harder. But this is too easy. This can only be the work of amateurs" she explained.

Kelrian crouched next to her, regarding the bonfire from the near. "The burned pieces of wood are still glowing. This bonfire was extinguished recently, which means that whoever has made this fire shouldn't be far away from us"

"You are absolutely right"

"There have to be footprints somewhere we can follow"

Sylvanas pointed at the tree stump. "There is another hint"

Kelrian stood up and walked over to the stump, pulling the knife out which stuck in it. "This is not a casual knife" he statemented after he had observed the knife for a minute.

Sylvanas walked over to him, taking the knife out of his hands. "This is a troll knife" she said eventually.

Kelrian turned his head, looking at her. "Are you sure?"

She looked at him, tilting her head. "Of course, I am. I've been fighting trolls for decades"

"But that doesn't have to mean that the owner is a troll. Maybe these bandits are renegade humans or elves who obtained such a knife somewhere"

Sylvanas looked at the ground, observing the footprints in front of them. "These are no human or elven footprints. Whoever was there had no shoes and only two toes. These can only be troll footprints"

"I can't believe that trolls dared to come in our lands. Do you believe that they are these bandits?" Kelrian asked curiously.

"I don't think so. My informants would have told me if trolls would have been seen in our lands. The trolls have been here but I believe the bandits are still somewhere. This means that we have a bandit and a troll problem at the same time"

"Maybe we have only one problem"

"What do you mean?"

Kelrian didn't say anything. He just pointed at the freshly turned over ground behind a small bush. Sylvanas didn't hesitate to walk over to the bush. "If only we had shovels" she muttered. Kelrian came to her, regarding the ground as well. "Do you think that someone has been buried here?"

"That could be possible". She turned her head, checking her surroundings. Her eyes widened a little when she spotted a large amount of blood on the ground near them. It was definitely fresh blood.

Sylvanas walked over to the spot, bending down to investigate this. "This could be troll blood or human blood. It's hard to differentiate it. It doesn't really matter which blood it is. What matters is that a fight has happened here recently. We have to investigate this but we have to be careful as well. We don't know how many enemies are in our near"

"I..." Kelrian started but was interrupted by a loud war cry. He turned around, spotting a troll who was holding with a spear and was running towards him. It was unmistakable that this troll wanted to kill him. But this troll was not alone. Two other trolls followed him and charged towards the two elves.

The elves couldn't use their bows because these trolls were already too close to them. Sylvanas had no other choice than drawing her blades from her belt.

"This is not good" Kelrian muttered as he drew his sword, holding it in front of his body. He was ready to block the first attack. He was ready to defend himself against these intruders and he was not scared even though they were one more. Sylvanas Windrunner was on his side, so he should be able to kill these trolls with her help. He was hoping that at least. He couldn't know that these trolls were not the only trolls in this area.


	11. Skirmishes

The troll with the spear came closer. He was a large, muscular male with green skin, a short red mohawk and two large tusks. He wore a leather vest and leather pants but he didn't wear any shoes or gloves. The other trolls wore similar clothes but they had no spears. They carried large, very sharp knives on which blades fresh blood stuck. They looked really fearsome with their tall sizes and their angry faces. But Sylvanas wasn't scared nor was Kelrian.

The two elves couldn't use their bows because the trolls were too close to them. But they didn't need their bows to defend themselves. Both of them were excellent fighters. Kelrian had never killed an enemy before but he wouldn't hesitate to defend himself and kill his opponents if necessary.

The troll with the spear approached him and tried to hit him but Kelrian managed to sidestep the attack at the last moment. The two trolls with the knives ran to Sylvanas and attacked her but she blocked their attacks with her two blades. Kelrian tried to hit his opponent with his sword but the troll was not as slow as he had hoped. He jumped to the side and pushed the tip of his spear in Kelrian's direction. The blond elf managed to shove the tip away with his sword, causing that the spear missed him.

Kelrian came closer to the troll, grabbing the handle to the spear. It was not possible to snatch the spear away but at least he managed to push it away so that the spear couldn't hit him. A frustrated noise escaped the troll's lips as he realized that Kelrian managed to keep his weapon away from him while using only one arm. It was clearly visible in the troll's eyes that Kelrian's strength surprised him. He hadn't expected that Kelrian was that strong.

Kelrian's facial expression didn't change as he noticed the expression the troll made. He didn't get cocky nor did he do something rashly. He tried to hit the troll with his sword but the troll managed to grab his upper arm and shove it away forcefully. Kelrian gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain the troll's tight grip was causing. He noticed that the troll's eyes rested on his arms which meant that he wasn't paying much attention to what his legs were doing.

Kelrian acted quickly and kicked the troll's left knee as hard as he could. The troll loosened his grip on the spear as a painful cry escaped his lips. Kelrian also noticed that the grip on his hand had been loosened as well so he managed to free his hand and rammed his sword in the troll's chest. A pained scream followed by a large amount of blood came out of his mouth. Kelrian didn't hesitate and disarmed the troll, impaling him with his own spear. He beheaded the troll, turning to Sylvanas immediately.

Sylvanas had already killed one of them and was currently fighting the other. Kelrian rushed to her and rammed his sword in the troll's back, thrusting it deeper until it came out of the troll's chest. Sylvanas beheaded the troll and gave Kelrian a thankful nod. She put her swords back on her belt and pulled her bow from her back. She pulled an arrow out of her quiver and nocked it for the case that more trolls would come to them.

Sylvanas' assumption turned out to be true as five trolls came in their field of vision. Kelrian had also nocked an arrow so he was also ready to shot. Two trolls fell before they even realized what happened. Two more died before they came too close to the elves, meaning that only one troll remained.

Sylvanas pulled a knife out of her belt and flung it at the troll, hitting him in the eye. The troll cried out in pain and stopped moving, trying to remove the sharp object. That gave Kelrian enough time to shot an arrow which hit the troll right between the eyes. A very loud cry escaped the troll's lips, then he fell backwards and landed on the ground. Sylvanas nocked an arrow, walking forward without losing sight of her surroundings. She regarded the troll with one eye, checking if he was really dead, while her other eye observed the surroundings.

He was still alive for some reason but he didn't move at all. He was breathing heavily, his eyes stared at nothing. Sylvanas looked at Kelrian, receiving a nod from him. He nocked an arrow and kept an eye on the surroundings as Sylvanas lowered her bow and drew one of her blades from her belt. She ended the troll's life by piercing the blade through his heart.

Kelrian turned his head as he heard a very quiet noise. His eyes widened as he saw the arrow which flew through the air. He noticed that whoever had shot his arrow, had aimed at Sylvanas. But it was too late for him to warn her. A loud cry escaped Sylvanas' lips as the arrow hit her in the left shoulder. She didn't drop her bow, even though the pain she was feeling was unbearable for the moment.

Kelrian's eyes were widened in shocked as he checked the surroundings in panic. He needed to find out where the attacker was so he could eliminate him. Another arrow hit Sylvanas, this time in the left upper thigh. She cursed loudly and pulled a much larger knife out of her belt, throwing it at the direction where she assumed the archer was.

The corners of her mouth formed a small smile for a short moment as her ears recognized the muffled cry. She pointed at the direction, giving Kelrian the signal to fire. The young male shot an arrow in the direction, hearing another pained cry, this time it was much louder. Sylvanas found shelter behind a large tree so that no arrows could hit her. At least no arrows from the direction where they had been fired previously. She pressed her back against the tree trunk, holding a knife in her left hand for the case that another attacker would approach them. Fortunately for them, nobody came.

The two elves waited for a few minutes but no one came. Sylvanas looked at Kelrian, receiving a nod from him. He took his sword and walked slowly to the nearest bush. As a recruit he hadn't learned the technique yet which would allow him to hide in the shadows and become invisible. He had no other choice than walking to the bush, risking that any attacker could jump out of the bush and attack him.

He checked if the bush was empty before he hid in it. He checked his surroundings, looking out for more enemies. He spotted no one. No living person at least. Not far away from him laid a dead person on the ground. Like his tribesmen, the person was an Amani troll under the command of Zul'jin. A knife stuck in his neck and an arrow in his left eye. He was clearly dead and it seemed that he was the last troll in this area.

Still, Kelrian remained careful and didn't do any rash moves. He returned to Sylvanas, letting his eyes wander from corner to corner with each move he made. He found Sylvanas still leaning against the trunk. She was biting her bottom lip and her beautiful facial features were distorted in pain but other than that she was fine.

"It seems that all attackers are dead" spoke Kelrian, observing the arrows in Sylvanas' body. He was no doctor and no healer but he was pretty sure that Sylvanas wouldn't go far with the arrow in her left upper thigh. Even if he would remove it, she would still hobble. He approached the Ranger-General and put his arms around her upper body, helping her to get in a comfortable sitting position.

"I didn't see the arrows coming. I would have dodged them if I would have seen them earlier"

"Now it's too late to blame yourself, Sylvanas. The attackers are gone at least. We need to find a way to treat your wound" spoke Kelrian.

"I wish now that we would have taken the horses but I had decided to go without them because I wanted to focus better on observing the surroundings to find tracks and other hints. We could need them right now" she hissed.

"It would have been difficult for you to ride with this wound. I mean it would have been possible but it would have really hurt" explained Kelrian.

"I know but I have ridden with worse wounds in the past. I would have endured the pain for sure"

"I believe that" responded Kelrian. "Anyways, I guess we have to walk then"

"I can't walk on my own with the arrow in my upper thigh" statemented Sylvanas.

"I know that's why I will support you"

"We are easy targets for every bandit or troll if we move like that. Maybe it's better if you leave me here and run to the nearest village to get help"

"I won't leave you alone, not even if we would know that no troll or bandit would be around" responded Kelrian, looking into Sylvanas' eyes. He signalized her that he was serious about this. He would never leave her side no matter what would happen.

"I can take care of myself. I'm a big girl"

"I would believe you under normal circumstances. But you are hurt and you can barely move your left arm and left leg. I won't leave you here, not in this condition"

Sylvanas sighed. "Fine. But first, you have to break off the arrows"

"I can also remove them. I may be a bad priest but I still know how to treat wounds. If I break off the tips, I can pull out the arrows and dress your wounds"

Sylvanas nodded to him, staring at him with a determined expression on her face. She bit her bottom lip hard to prevent that a loud scream escaped her lips as Kelrian broke off the tip of the arrow in her shoulder. A scream was still hearable but it was muffled.

Kelrian pulled out the arrow carefully, signalizing Sylvanas to press her hands on the wound. She did as she was told, looking at Kelrian who pulled a bandage out of a small pocket which was attached to his belt. He unrolled it and wrapped it tight enough around the wound to stop the bleeding. He did the same with the wound in Sylvanas' upper thigh. She gave him a thankful nod, accepting his hand which helped her to get up.

Kelrian wrapped his arm around her shoulders, allowing her to do the same. Kelrian blushed a little when their bodies came in contact but the blush faded then he realized that this was a dangerous situation and not a comforting situation like the situation on the balcony two days ago.

But for some reason, he couldn't stop thinking about the celebration and what had happened there. He remembered the moment where they had kissed and had pressed their bodies together. He remembered how warm his body had been when Sylvanas had pressed her lips against his. He remembered how good her body had felt when they had embraced each other.

He shook his head, banishing these thoughts out of his mind for the moment. This was not the right moment to remember the comfortable and passionate moment they had shared together. This was not the right moment to think about something else but Sylvanas' security. She was injured and wasn't really able to defend herself. It was his task to protect her no matter what would happen.

She was his Ranger-General, his superior and his friend. Probably more than a friend because she was interested in him and he assumed that he was also feeling something for her. He was still not sure if he loved her but he knew that she was important to him and he considered her more than just a friend. But it was not the right moment for figuring out if he wanted Sylvanas the same way she wanted him.

He needed to bring her to safety. He needed to bring her to the nearest safe place. Fairbreeze village was too far away from them. They had needed a lot of time to get to this place so they would need more time to get back because they would be a lot slower than usual. Kelrian knew that there was a farm in the near. He knew he had to bring her to this farm, hoping that the inhabitants could help them.

"Where are we going?" asked Sylvanas as soon as she realized that Kelrian didn't intend to go back to Fairbreeze Village.

"There is a farm in the north where we can get help. We would take too long to reach Fairbreeze Village. The chances, that some bandits are going to attack us if we walk the entire way back to the village, would be pretty high. We wouldn't need long to reach the farm so it's better if we go to it than to Fairbreeze Village" explained Kelrian.

Sylvanas was silent for a few moments, thinking about what he had just said. "You are right" she admitted eventually.

Kelrian didn't respond to her. He kept a close eye on the surroundings as he walked, making sure that he didn't hurt Sylvanas. They left the forest faster than expected and came to the main road. They walked for a while, stopping from time to time so that Sylvanas could relax her injured leg for a few minutes.

They came to a crossroad and followed the path which led to the north. Kelrian was pretty sure that this was the right way. He was pretty sure that this path will lead them to the farm they were looking for. They followed the path for almost an hour, only stopping when they noticed that three persons were coming from the opposite direction. Kelrian and Sylvanas stayed on the same spot, regarding the three persons as they come closer.

Kelrian allowed Sylvanas to sit on the ground before he took his bow and nocked two arrows, aiming at the three persons. The strangers stopped when they noticed that Kelrian was ready to fire arrows at them. This gave Kelrian and Sylvanas enough time to scrutinize them closely.

They saw a human male and a human female supporting an injured male high elf. All three of them were wearing black clothes, some of them looked like rags while others had a much better quality. The lower halves of the persons' faces were covered by black scarves. Lots of daggers and large knives hung on their belts. It was unmistakable that these guys were bandits. Maybe the bandits Sylvanas and her group were looking for.

The clothes of the injured man in the middle were partly ripped, smaller and deeper cuts could be found on his exposed chest. He was also hobbling which meant that he had been hit in the leg or in the foot. Kelrian took a closer look on the cuts on the bandit's torso. These cuts were differently shaped, meaning that no ordinary knife or blade had caused these wounds. He had not enough experience to know what sort of a knife had been used to cause such wounds. But Sylvanas had the experience so she knew that a troll knife or sword had caused these wounds. She concluded that the bandits had bumped into the trolls or the other way around.

It didn't matter who saw who first. Things had become violent for sure. Sylvanas assumed that this had resulted that this bandit had gotten injured and that someone had been killed. Sylvanas was pretty sure that either trolls or bandits had been buried in the freshly filled hole.

"Don't you dare to come any closer" shouted Kelrian with a strict voice. His narrowed eyes rested on the bandits. He was ready to let loose his arrow from his bow if any of these bandits would do a wrong move. Sylvanas' arm hurt so much that she was sure she wouldn't be able to hold her bow properly. But that didn't mean she was defenceless. She had pulled three daggers from her belt which she would throw at the bandits if they would try something. A precise dagger right between their eyes would be enough to take them down.

One of the bandits, the woman, lifted her free arm, the other was still wrapped around her companion's shoulders. "We don't want to cause any trouble. As you can see, we are injured as well"

"You fought against trolls, didn't you?" asked Sylvanas. Her eyes didn't leave the bandits. She regarded them closely, trying to predict what they would do.

"We did but we didn't plan to fight them. They came out of nowhere and surprised us while we were resting"

"So, the campfire was yours"

The uninjured male nodded. "About fifteen trolls attacked us. They had bows, axes, swords, knives and very large spears. We killed six of them but we lost eight of our comrades"

**"** So, you fled but you returned later to bury your dead. But why did you make another campfire?" asked Sylvanas **.**

"It started as a campfire but we wanted to turn it into a pyre for the dead trolls but the remaining trolls returned before we could burn them"

"They chased you" statemented Sylvanas.

"They did but they stopped following us after a short time. Probably because they wanted to collect their dead" she said.

"The trolls are dead so you have no reason to keep fleeing from them"

"You killed them?" she asked, making a surprised face.

"We did but that doesn't mean you are safe. You are criminals who are threatening defenceless traders and villagers. Normally, I would kill you right on the spot or arrest you at least but the clash with the intruding trolls has wounded us all. You have two options. You will leave Quel'Thalas and never return but you will also promise to never do criminal activities again. Or you fight and die today" spoke Sylvanas. She made a determined face, signalizing the bandits that she was serious about this.

"You are allowing us to go?" asked the injured man. He was not the only one who had a surprised expression on his face. The other bandits and even Kelrian were more than surprised about Sylvanas' offering. They had expected that she would capture them or kill them. But she didn't intend to do that.

Kelrian was asking himself why she was doing this. He believed that she could kill them alone only with her daggers, even in her condition. On the other hand, the bandits didn't deserve to die. They may have stolen and threatened innocents but they didn't kill anyone. At least not until this day. But this could change in the future so Kelrian was not sure if letting them go was the right choice. He knew it would be hard for them to capture these bandits without killing them. If Sylvanas would be able to walk on her own it would be no problem. But she was injured so she couldn't help capturing them.

So, Kelrian had to face these bandits alone and he knew it would be pretty hard for him to fight them and protect Sylvanas at the same time. Letting them go for now was the right decision. Kelrian was hoping that at least.

He looked at Sylvanas, noticing that she was still having this strict look on her face. He looked back at the bandits, noticing that they had stuck their heads together and were discussing the offering. They pulled away after a few minutes, looking at Sylvanas and Kelrian.

"We thank you for your offering, Ranger-General. We also thank you for avenging our fallen comrades. We will promise that we will never steal again or do other criminal actions"

"I hope for you that you will keep your promises, otherwise I will hunt you until the end of the planet. I have my informants and spies everywhere, so I will find out if you do criminal things. Trust me, I won't stop until I get you and make sure you get your just punishments"

"I believe you" said the woman and lowered her head in respect. Sylvanas' facial expression didn't change. She continued to stare at the bandits with narrowed eyes, signalizing them with a gesture to walk past them. Kelrian had put his bow on his back and drawn his sword for the case that the bandits would change their minds and attack them. But they didn't. They passed Sylvanas and Kelrian without trying anything. The elves two waited until they were out of their sight before they turned their heads to look at each other.

"Do you think it was the right choice to let them go?" asked Kelrian.

"It was not the best decision overall but it was the best decision in this situation. I believe that you would have managed to defeat these bandits alone. If they were ordinary bandits at least. But we didn't know how good they were so it was the best to not make it escalate. I don't want you to get hurt for no reason. You mean a lot to me"

Kelrian bowed down next to her, regarding her closely. "I would have defended you, even if it would have cost my life to save you"

Sylvanas put a hand on his cheek. "But I don't want you to lose your life"

"I know but I will become a ranger in two and a half year which means that my life could end every day if a sudden troll attack comes. We are rangers, we have to risk our lives every day for the greater good"

"I know that. You don't need to tell me this. I'm risking my life every day as well" she said, caressing his cheek softly.

"I know and I admire you for your courage. You don't think about yourself in the first place, whenever you do something. You think about the many lives you could save. You wouldn't mind losing your life to save others. I've met other recruits and rangers whose mindset is different. They would protect our people but they wouldn't give their lives for them"

"I know. It's so sad some people under my command still have this mindset but what should I do? The Farstriders need every single ranger and recruit they can get. We have lost a lot of good rangers over the past decades. The skirmishes with the orcs and trolls have cost countless lives. The skirmishes with the trolls won't stop if Zul'jin stays alive. We need to take him down one day but to achieve that we need more warriors and rangers like you. You belong to the best recruits we currently have. You also don't mind risking your own life. I appreciate your courage but I don't like that you risk your life. I'm afraid that I could lose you.

"Now I'm confused. You told me that you want your subordinates to risk their lives for the greater good but you don't want me to risk my life"

"You know why. I'm in love with you" responded Sylvanas. She took one of his hands and intertwined their fingers. Kelrian regarded Sylvanas from head to toe. His gaze rested long on her beautiful face before it shifted to her breasts, her exposed belly, her thighs and then to the wound in her upper thigh.

He realized that he really hated seeing Sylvanas being hurt. He had been unsure about his feelings for her but at this very moment, where he realized that they both could have lost their lives today, he found out that he had similar feelings for Sylvanas. She was important to him. She was not only his superior or his role model. She was also his friend but not only that. She was more than an ordinary friend for him. She was his love interest. She was the one he had feelings for. He had had a few girlfriends in the past but none of these had ever been so important for him as Sylvanas.

He would do everything for her. He would do everything to save her even if he had to sacrifice his life. She was worth all efforts and all pain he would have to endure to protect her. Normally she didn't need protection because she was the strongest and most skilled ranger in Quel'Thalas. She was better than everyone else. She was smarter than everyone else and she was prettier than everyone else. But she was more than that. She was friendly, funny, self-confident, brave and much more. He loved to talk with her and spend time with her.

And unlike most rangers Kelrian had met, Sylvanas was not arrogant and didn't think she was better because she was a trained ranger. She didn't think she was better because she was the best. Every person in Quel'Thalas was equal in her opinion. She treated everyone the same, even Kelrian. She didn't treat him differently during the training. She was in love with him so she was afraid that he would lose his others, she didn't want that he would risk his life. But other than that, she treated him like everyone else. She was just very afraid of losing him.

Kelrian looked back at her, staring into her eyes. "I think I have similar feelings"

Sylvanas' lips formed a smile, her hands caressed his cheeks. "That's all I wanted to hear" she said as she closed the distance between their faces and sealed her lips to his. Kelrian didn't hesitate to kiss her back, putting one of his hands on the back of her head as he deepened the kiss. He noticed that Sylvanas was asking for entrance by biting his bottom lip. He parted his lips, allowing her tongue to sneak in his mouth. Sylvanas didn't hesitate to explore his mouth with her tongue, licking every reachable corner. Kelrian brushed his tongue past hers to get in her mouth, mimicking her actions.

His heart was beating rapidly in his chest, his skin was tingling nervously. Sylvanas' heartbeat was also very fast and her skin also tingled. She noticed that the tips of her ears became stiff which was a sign that she was really enjoying this kiss. This was the second kiss they had shared in ten years of knowing each other. There weren't enough words for Sylvanas to describe how good this kiss felt for her. It was awesome enough to make her hold the kiss until she had to pull back because she needed to breathe.

Sylvanas was breathing heavily as she regarded the young man in front of her. He was also out of breath, his cheeks were reddened a little but he didn't look at the ground. He stared into her eyes. The face he was making told the Ranger-General that he had enjoyed the kiss as well.

"We need to talk about us when we have the time. But for now, we need to reach this farm. But we will talk about everything, I promise. I just want to say that I'm glad you are feeling the same" she said with a wide and happy smile on her lips.

Kelrian returned her smile, helping her to get up. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders, her other hand rested on the hand of the arm which was wrapped around her shoulders. She pressed her body against his, smiling when she noticed that his cheeks became redder. She put a quick kiss on his cheek, signalizing him to start walking. He made sure that Sylvanas wasn't feeling unnecessary pain as they walked as fast as Sylvanas' hurt leg allowed it.


	12. Rest and Care

"We are almost there" spoke Kelrian. Sylvanas turned her head, looking at the direction he had pointed at. She saw a large and very long building which was made out of wood. To its right stood a house which was a lot smaller and shorter than it. To its left was a large field on which wheat was cultivated. There was also a thick forest behind the smaller house.

This was the farm they were looking for. Sylvanas assumed that the left building was a barn in which the animals of the farm were living. The other, which was made out of stones, must be the farmer's house. Kelrian stopped out of sudden, regarding the farm for a few moments, then his gaze fell on the path in front of them.

There was no one who could stop them from getting closer to the farm, so they walked until they reached the fence gate. Sylvanas supported herself on one of the many fence posts so Kelrian could open the door. He didn't hesitate to return to Sylvanas, helping her to the other side. He sat her on the ground, then he walked back to the gate and closed it.

He helped her up as he returned to her, then they walked towards the smaller house as fast as Sylvanas' injured leg allowed it. The farm was so large that they needed almost half an hour to reach the house.

They arrived in front of the smaller house, looking around for someone. They didn't saw any person, they only spotted a large, dangerous-looking dog which was leashed to a post next to the barn's entrance. The dog, which fur had a light brown colour, was looking at them but he didn't bark. He observed Sylvanas and Kelrian curiously but it didn't seem that he was regarding them as a threat. Kelrian looked at the dog for a few more moments before he turned back to the house in front of them and knocked at the door.

Nothing happened within the first few moments but then shouts were hearable from the inside. They heard a female voice asking someone to open the door. Half a minute passed until the door was finally opened but only slightly. The head of a blonde young female elf poked out. Her face was freckled but looked very cute. The girl was a lot younger than Kelrian who was, even with his sixty-seven years, still a teenager. The girl didn't say anything for the first moments. Her blue eyes widened when she realized who was standing in front of her.

"Ranger-General, is it really you?" she asked nervously. "By the Sunwell, you are hurt" she shouted. Her nervous expression was replaced by shock when she noticed Sylvanas' injuries.

"Are your parents at home?" Sylvanas asked, comforting the girl by looking in her eyes.

"Yes, they are"

"Can we come in? The Ranger-General's wounds need to be treated" spoke Kelrian.

"Of course, you can" responded the young woman. She opened the door, allowing Sylvanas and Kelrian to get in. Kelrian didn't hesitate to enter the house and rush to the nearest chair. He pulled the chair out and helped Sylvanas to sit down. He saw the girl, who was wearing a simple green dress, leaving the room and walking up the stairs to the second floor.

Kelrian turned back to Sylvanas, his eyes roamed over her body and returned to her face eventually. "Are you okay?" he asked, giving her a worried look. She leaned back against the chair, signalizing him that he didn't need to be worried. "I'm fine, really. I have suffered worse wounds in the past. I have managed to return home with a broken leg and a sprained arm, so I will survive this as well"

"I'm not worried about the injuries. I'm worried that the trolls might have poisoned you"

"They didn't use poison" assured Sylvanas.

Kelrian raised an eyebrow. "How can you be so sure about that?"

"I know the effects of troll poisons. The symptoms would have occurred by now if I would have been poisoned"

"What if they have used a new, slower working poison?"

"Using slower working poison is not the style of Amani trolls. They only use poisons which effects set in within a few minutes. They want to get an advantage as fast as possible. They don't want to kill their victims later. They are trophy hunters. They want to steal things from the dead bodies of their victims. Killing their opponents later wouldn't help them at all because they wouldn't be able to loot anyone if they would flee and die somewhere. The trolls wouldn't get any trophies if they wouldn't find the corpses of their victims"

"Are you sure? What if they have changed their minds?"

"I find it really cute that you are so worried about me. This means that I am really important to you but believe me when I tell you that I'm not poisoned"

"Nevertheless, we should check you as soon as we find someone who can heal your wounds"

"I..." started Sylvanas but she stopped speaking as she realized that two persons had entered the room together with the young woman. There was a man with short red hair and a woman with long silver-dyed hair. The man was wearing average farmer clothes, in this case, a leather trouser and a green vest. The woman wore a blue dress which didn't look very expensive. Sylvanas assumed that they were the parents of the young woman.

The parents lowered their heads in respect, their faces showed worry. "You are hurt, Ranger-General" statemented the woman. She didn't hesitate to walk over to Sylvanas and kneel in front of her, observing the bandages closely.

"I'm fine, really. I just need a priest or a paladin who can heal my wounds"

"There are priests in Sunsail Anchorage but this is far away. They would need three hours to walk to this farm, maybe one and a half if they have horses" said the woman.

"I can hold out much longer. I have suffered worse injuries in the past" responded Sylvanas. Her gaze wandered from the mother, over the father to their daughter. "May I ask you who you are?"

"Of course, you can" said the man. "My name is Alois Summerbell. These are my wife Lynlia and my daughter Vasina"

Sylvanas smiled at them. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I wish we would have met under different circumstances. All I'm doing right now is sitting on your chair and bleed all over your floor"

"That's a bit exaggerated. Your ranger did a very good job at dressing the wound" Lynlia statemented.

"He is not a ranger, he is a recruit" told Sylvanas. "But that doesn't really matter right now"

"I can order one of my stable lads to ride to Sunsail Anchorage and look out for a priest if you want, Ranger-General" suggested Alois.

"That would be awesome" responded Sylvanas, nodding to him. He returned the nod, lowered his head in respect and rushed out of the house.

"What happened?" asked Lynlia.

"We bumped into trolls and bandits"

"Trolls AND bandits?" asked Lynlia, making a very worried face.

"Don't worry, the trolls are dead and the bandits will never return to Quel'Thalas" comforted Kelrian. The worry vanished out of their faces and was replaced by relieved expressions.

"Did the trolls or the bandits wounded you, Ranger-General?" asked Vasina.

"The trolls but we killed all of them" explained Sylvanas.

"How many came in our land?" asked the mother.

"We know about fifteen. We killed nine. The other six were killed by the bandits but that doesn't mean that all are gone. I will send teams to check the area as soon as I'm back in the Farstrider Enclave. Or wait, have you got another stable lad who could deliver a message for me?"

"We have five in total, so yeah, we have more than enough, Ranger-General"

"Good" responded Sylvanas, making a thoughtful face. "I could need paper and a quill. An inkpot would be also helpful"

"Of course we have such items" said Lynlia. She turned around and looked at her daughter. "Honey, would you get these items for the Ranger-General?"

Vasina nodded and rushed to the stairs, climbing them as fast as possible. "She doesn't need to rush. This is no emergency"

Lynlia nodded to her. Her eyes widened as if something had come in her mind.

"Is something wrong?" asked Kelrian.

"Well, not really. I just realized that I'm a terrible hostess. I have forgotten to offer you something to eat or drink"

Sylvanas gave her a comforting smile. "It's okay, really. But now that you mention it, I have to say that I'm really thirsty"

"What can I offer you?"

Sylvanas made a thoughtful face. "Water or milk would be fine. Some bread be fantastic, if that is okay for you"

"Of course it is" said Lynlia, smiling at Sylvanas. She regarded her for a few moments before she turned her head to look at Kelrian. She didn't say anything but her expression told him that she wanted to know if he wanted something.

"I take the same" Kelrian responded shortly. He was still standing, so Sylvanas ordered him to take a seat next to her and relax. He hadn't realized that his body was still tensed up even though there was no reason to.

He was still a bit uneasy even though Sylvanas was not in danger anymore. The Ranger-General had noticed that but she didn't say anything. She gave him a nod and a barely recognizable smile as soon he sat on the chair.

"I will return in a few minutes" announced Lynlia.

"You don't need to hurry" told Sylvanas. The farmer's wife nodded to her and walked through the door on the opposite side of the room. Sylvanas assumed that she was going to the kitchen to prepare something.

She smiled as she remembered how the farmer family had looked at her as soon as the worry had vanished out of their faces. It was unmistakable that it was an honour for them to help Sylvanas and entertain her. Sylvanas belonged to the most popular people of Quel'Thalas. After the queen, she was the most famous woman in the kingdom. She was loved and respected by everyone. There was no one whodidn't like her, except for a few men she had rejected. But other than them she was loved by all inhabitants of Quel'Thalas.

Vasina was no exception. It was clear that she admired Sylvanas. The way she looked at her at this very moment told the Ranger-General that she was the girl's role model. She was the role model of a lot of girls, women and even men. She was very friendly, resolute, sympathetic and much more. She was an excellent strategist and fighter and she was not arrogant. She tried to help wherever she could without demanding something in return. She had lots of positive qualities and no negative qualities. It was no surprise that so many people admired her.

Sylvanas smiled at Vasina who was standing in the door and regarded her curiously. She held the items, Sylvanas had asked her for, in her didn't move from her spot nor did she say something so Sylvanas assumed that she was lost in thoughts. She cleared her throat, the corners of her lips formed a small smile as she saw that the girl's cheeks became red. Vasina was too embarrassed to look at the Ranger-General, so she looked at her fingers as she walked over to her.

She didn't see the small stool on the ground, nor did Sylvanas or Kelrian see it because their gazes rested on the girl's head. Vasina stumbled over the stool, dropping the items as she fell to the floor. The inkpot shattered as it landed on the floor. The girl's eyes widened as she looked up and saw that some splashes of ink had landed on Sylvanas' uniform. Her facial features derailed, her mouth formed words but no sounds escaped her lips. She began to stutter, becoming very pale.

"I'm so sorry, Ranger-General. I didn't mean to..." she said eventually but stopped speaking as Sylvanas signalized her that everything was fine.

"It's okay, Vasina"

"Are you sure? I just ruined your uniform"

"I have several others which look exactly like this. Trust me, it's really fine" spoke Sylvanas, comforting the nervous girl. Vasina didn't respond to her verbally, she just looked at Sylvanas for a few moments. Then she picked up the sheets of paper and the quill and placed them right in front of Sylvanas.

"I might need a new inkpot" mentioned Sylvanas.

"Oh, yeah...Right. I will get you another one" responded Vasina and turned around, walking to the stairs slowly. She returned a few moments later, this time she made sure that nothing was in her way over which she could stumble. She handed the inkpot over to Sylvanas and blushed as she received a thankful smile. She stared at Sylvanas, watching her dipping the quill's tip in the ink.

Her mother returned the same moment Sylvanas started writing the letter. Lynlia looked at the puddle on the floor, then at her daughter who looked away ashamed. "What happened here?" she asked, sounding very strict. She also had a strict expression on her face which troubled Vasina. Lynlia regarded the floor once again, noticing that the ink stuck on the Ranger-General's uniform. "Did you drop the inkpot, Vasina?"

"I..." started her daughter but was cut off by Sylvanas. "It's okay, really. She didn't do it on purpose. I have so many other uniforms, that I can go without this. You don't need to be too strict with her. Everything is fine"

Lynlia's facial features softened."Okay but she needs to clean up the mess she made" she responded, looking at her daughter this time. Vasina nodded and rushed out of the room, returning later with a bucket full of water and a sponge. She kneeled down and began to scrub the floor. Her mother regarded her for a few moments before she looked at Sylvanas. "Do you want to eat now, Ranger-General? Or after you have written your letter?"

"You can put the food on the table if you want so Recruit Kelrian can eat something. I will eat later when I'm done with this letter"

"As you wish" responded Lynlia, walking out of the room. She returned a few moments later with a tray in her hands. She put the tray in the middle of the table, smiling when Sylvanas and Kelrian expressed their thanks. Kelrian looked at his mentor who signalized him that he could start eating if he wanted. Kelrian signalized her that he wanted to wait for her.

Sylvanas gave him a nod, regarded him for a few more moments before she turned her attention back to the letter in front of her. Kelrian was not the only one who regarded her while writing. Lynlia's eyes and Alois' eyes rested on her as well. Sylvanas looked up to him as soon as she noticed his presence.

"The stable lad is on the way. We don't know how long he will take nor do we know when the priest arrives. But you can stay here as long as you want, Ranger-General"

"Thank you for everything" said Sylvanas, smiling at the farmer family.

"It's nothing really. You and the Farstriders do your best to protect us from every threat. It's the least we can do to repay your services" responded Alois.

"It's our task to protect those who cannot protect themselves. You are not owing us anything but I appreciate your hospitality"

"It's an honour for us to take care of you. You can stay in one of our guest rooms if you want. My wife will exchange your bandage with a new one and make sure you get everything you need"

"That would be pretty helpful, thanks"

"You are welcome, Ranger-General"

Sylvanas returned his smile.

"Anyways, I will leave you alone now. You have an important letter to write" the father said and lowered his head in respect before he walked out of the room.

"We will be in your near, Ranger-General. You can call us if you need anything. My daughter will guide you to a guestroom as soon as you are ready" spoke Lynlia.

Sylvanas nodded to her, looking back at her letter as soon as Lynlia had left the room. She noticed Kelrian staring at her but she didn't mind didn't feel uncomfortable, especially not because he was the one who looked at her.

She wished she could hold Kelrian's hand while writing the letter but Vasina was still in the room, so she resisted the urge to touch Kelrian. They hadn't talked yet about a relationship but both knew for sure that only a secret relationship would be possible. Keeping it secret would be better for both of wouldn't get too much unwanted attention by others and Sylvanas wouldn't have to answer countless questions **.** There were lots of jealous men and women who admired and loved Sylvanas. She didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble for Kelrian.

She was done with the letter after half an hour. She read through it once again before she folded it and put in an envelope. She pulled a little wooden stamp out of her belt pocket, sealing the letter with a wax symbol which showed the letters S and W.

She turned her head, looking at Vasina who gave her a nod before she left the room quickly. She returned with her mother who took the letter. "Tell your stable lad to bring this letter to Ranger-Captain Sweetblossom. She is stationed in Sunsail Anchorage. If he doesn't find her then he should hand it to a ranger and tell him or her to bring it to Captain Sweetblossom"

Lynlia's nod told Sylvanas that she had understood. "I will tell him this"

"Good" said Sylvanas, giving her an appreciating nod. Lynlia told her daughter to guide Sylvanas to the guest room before she walked out of the room. Vasina, who had cleaned the floor in the meantime, walked over to Sylvanas and asked her to follow her. Sylvanas nodded to her, then she looked at Kelrian from who she received a nod.

He stood up and helped her to get up. He wrapped his arm around her waist, walking with her to the other side of the room. They followed Vasina to the stairs but they needed longer than expected to climb them. They reached the second floor eventually, following the young woman until she stopped in front of a door. Vasina opened the door and allowed them to get in. She rushed to the bed and pulled the blanket back.

Kelrian brought Sylvanas to the bed, helping her to lay down. It was unmistakable that Sylvanas was glad she could relax her injured leg. She rested her head on the pillow, stretching her legs out. Her injured leg still hurt but the pain was bearable. She had suffered worse wounds in the past, which had hurt much more. She was in no danger so she could relax here and wait that a priest would arrive and take care of her wounds.

The priest arrived after three hours. Sylvanas and Kelrian had remained in the room and had looked at the other as long as no one else had been in the room. Most of the time they had been alone. They had talked a lot and Kelrian had held her hand from time to time. He had also told her that everything will be fine. It wasn't required because Sylvanas knew she would make it. Still, she found it cute that he was worried about her so much.

This proved her that he was regarding her more than a friend or than his mentor. The looks he was giving her told her that he had feelings for her. She had already known this before because he had told her that he had similar feelings for her. Still, it made her happy to see that he wanted her as well.

They hadn't looked at the other or had hold hands whenever someone had come in their room. Fortunately for them, it hadn't happened often. Lynlia had come to exchange Sylvanas' bandage and Vasina had come to them from time to time and had asked them if they needed something. They had been able to spend the rest of the time alone in the guest room. They hadn't talked about their feelings for the other because Sylvanas had been afraid that one member of the family could hear them while being near the room.

Sylvanas knew that she had to be patient. She will talk to Kelrian about everything at the right moment. She will ask him out and find out how serious he meant things with her. She was hoping that she could convince himof a secret relationship. It wouldn't be easy, she knew that for sure but it was better than not having a relationship. Not to mention that a secret relationship would be better than a public relationship which could have consequences for both of them. Good and bad consequences, probably.

The door was opened and a priestess entered the room. She was wearing a blue dress and a beautiful necklace which was wrapped around her neck. She was beautiful and looked familiar to Sylvanas even though she had never seen her before.

Sylvanas tilted her head a little, regarding the priestess from head to toe. She looked so familiar to her but she couldn't remember who she was nor where she had seen her before. She turned her head to Kelrian, noticing that his face reflected surprise. She looked back at the priestess, noticing that she made a face of disgust as her gaze landed on Kelrian.

Sylvanas assumed that this woman was either a member of his family or a former lover. "Who is this?" she asked as she looked at her love interest.

Kelrian hesitated for a few moments. "This is my older sister Sydori" he said then he looked at his sister who was still signalizing him that she was not pleased to see him. Like her parents, she considered him a disgrace to their family. Her gaze rested on her little brother longer than necessary before it shifted to Sylvanas. Her disgusted facial expression was replaced by concern but also by admiration.

It was unmistakable that it was an honour for her to see Sylvanas. She was one of the many who admired Sylvanas and regarded her as their role model. She rushed over to Sylvanas, pushing Kelrian aside, causing that he nearly fell onto the floor. At least, he was able to catch himself at the last moment. He was giving her an annoyed look but Sydori had already turned away from him so she couldn't see it. She didn't hesitate and removed the bandages which covered the Ranger-General's upper thigh, then she started to heal the wound immediately.

Sylvanas knew that this will take a few minutes, so she made sure that she laid in a comfortable position **.** "What happened?" asked Sydori.

"We got surprised by trolls while we followed the tracks of bandits" explained Sylvanas.

"Did the trolls wounded you or was it my useless brother?"

Sylvanas didn't answer, instead, she frowned. Her eyes didn't leave Sydori who didn't seem to feel bad for having insulted Kelrian in the presence of his mentor.

"Knowing him well enough, it could be possible that h hit you instead of his targets. Kelrian was never good at anything. He always sucked no matter what he was doing" added Sydori.

Sylvanas was still frowning, giving the priestess a very confused look. She was asking herself if Sydori was serious about this but then she remembered that Kelrian had told her about his family from time to time. His older siblings and his parents weren't fond of him since he had decided to become a Farstrider against the will of his father.

It surprised Sylvanas that Sydori was brave enough to insult one of her recruits in front of her eyes. It seemed that she had inherited such behaviour from her father. Her father had insulted Sylvanas on their first meeting. He had offered her to have sex with him in exchange for his signature on Kelrian's agreement, which he had needed to join the Farstriders.

"Well, it seems that you are not informed at all. Kelrian is one of the best recruits I currently have" responded Sylvanas eventually.

"Are you sure about this?" Sydori asked.

Sylvanas was not sure if she was doing this to provoke her, to make fun of Kelrian and make him feel bad or if she did this because she really believed that her brother was a loser. But Sylvanas knew the truth. Kelrian was everything but a loser. He was very skilful, likeable and friendly. His sister on the other hand...seemed to be an arrogant bitch, who begrudged the success and the skill of her brother.

"I'm Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner, I'm very good at assessing if someone has talent or not. Kelrian is a very skilled and determined recruit. He will become a very successful and popular ranger one day. I would really appreciate if you would stop insulting him"

"Sorry, Ranger-General" she muttered. Sylvanas didn't need to look into her eyes to know that she was not really sorry about this. She had only said this to prevent that Sylvanas would get angry at her. Sylvanas had become angry but she didn't show it. She didn't say anything to Sydori but that didn't mean she wouldn't talk to her about this if she would catch her insulting him again. She didn't want to start an argument while being healed by her **.** She was just hoping that Sydori wouldn't insult Kelrian again, at least not in front of her or other rangers and recruits.

Sydori didn't make any negative comments about Kelrian during the few minutes she needed to heal the wounds in Sylvanas' left upper arm and left upper thigh. Sylvanas thanked her, getting up after she was done. "You shouldn't overtax yourself, Ranger-General. Your body needs time to rest"

"I know but thanks for reminding me"

"You are welcome" she said and lowered her head in respect.

Sydori remained in the room and looked at her longer than necessary. It didn't seem that she intended to leave the room. Sylvanas signalized her that she was dismissed, giving her a thankful nod. Sydori gave Sylvanas a barely recognizable smirk, then she looked at Kelrian. She regarded him with narrowed eyes for a few moments before she walked out of the room.

Sylvanas stared at the room's exit for a few moments before she turned around to look at Kelrian who was leaning against a wall.

"Your sister is a..."

"...complicated person" finished Kelrian before Sylvanas could say anything negative about her.

"Yeah, kind of"

"You wanted to use other words to describe her, right?" asked Kelrian curiously.

"Yes, I guess"

"I know she is a bitch but she is still my sister. I don't hate her"

"Even though she is regarding you like shit?" asked Sylvanas, regarding him with a slightly confused expression on her face.

"Well, she is not treating me like shit, she..." he started but he stopped speaking as he saw that Sylvanas was frowning. "Okay" he admitted after a few moments. "She treats me _differently_ but she is still my sister. I don't hate her for this"

"Teasing and making fun of the other is okay between friends and siblings. I'm calling Alleria a lot of things but she knows that I only make fun of her. Your sister, on the other hand, is not joking. She doesn't like you at all"

"I know but what can I do about it?" he asked rhetorically.

"Well, I don't think talking would change anything" Sylvanas took a deep breath, making a thoughtful face. "I've no clue, to be honest"

"See" he said as he stood up and came closer to her. He sat down on the bed, looking at the guest room's exit to make sure that nobody was seeing them. He leaned in until his mouth was only a few inches away from her right ear. "I don't need my family's support. I became a recruit without their help. I don't need them to be happy. I'm happy as long as I have you"

He pulled away, giving her a shy smile which she returned. "I'm happy to have you too" she whispered, standing up a few seconds later. She moved her left leg and her left arm carefully, smiling as she noticed that she was able to move them without feeling pain. She looked at Kelrian, noticing that he was smiling as well.

"You should still take things easy. My sister might be an arrogant bitch but she is right about this. She belongs to the best priests of my family so she knows what she is talking about. You need at least one or two days of rest before you can start training and fighting again"

"Did I miss something? Did we swap roles or what? Are you the Ranger-General now and I am the recruit?" Sylvanas asked teasingly, a wide smirk was visible on her lips.

"I..."

"It was a joke, Kel. I know that you are just worried about me. I find it cute and I'm glad that I mean something to you. I'm glad that I'm more than a friend or a mentor to you" she said, her voice was barely louder than a whisper.

"You are, indeed. You told me that we will speak about this when we are alone" he whispered.

"We will talk later. Promised. She stared into his eyes, smiling at him. He returned her stare, noticing that he was about to get lost forever in her eyes. She cleared her throat after a while, bringing him back to the present. "We should go. I won't overtax my leg if I ride. Let's ask the farmer for two horses so we can return to Fairbreeze Village. I'm pretty sure the others are already waiting for us. I also think they are afraid that something happened to us"

"Probably" said Kelrian as he walked with Sylvanas through the room's exit and closed the door behind her.


	13. Place of retreat

"Where is it?" Kelrian asked himself as he looked at the map in his hands, figuring out where he was. He knew his place of destination and he knew how to get there but had managed to get lost somehow and had ended up somewhere. He wasn't even sure if he was close to the place he was looking for. Sylvanas had told him to go to a certain place. She had shown him on the map where this place was, assuming he would reach it without a problem.

The truth was that he had been lost in thoughts so he had missed the turn-off he was supposed to take. He had walked back and but then he had taken the wrong turn-off.

He had no clue how to get back to the road he was supposed to follow. He was in the middle of a forest somewhere in the east of Quel'Thalas. He knew that he would be too far in the east if he would reach the cost. He would be too far in the west if he would reach the foot of the long and tall mountain range. This meant that the place he was looking for had to be somewhere between the mountains and the ocean.

He found the road again, he had been looking for, after walking for half an hour. He followed the road, taking the right path this time. He walked through another forest in which different kinds of trees were standing. He didn't regard them nor did he take a closer look at his surroundings. His eyes rested on the path he was following. He had never been in this area before so he was hoping that this path would lead him to the place he was looking for.

He came to a wooden hut after half an hour. The hut was not small but it wasn't gigantic either. The hut wasn't made out of the best wood in Quel'Thalas. It seemed that trees from this forest had been used to build it. Kelrian spotted lots of young trees which were a lot smaller than other, older looking trees. Kelrian assumed that this hut had been built a few years ago. He also assumed that the tree seeds had been manipulated by magic so the trees would grow faster.

He couldn't see it because the mages had made sure that there was no visual difference between the trees which had grown out of normal seeds and those who had grown out of the manipulated seeds. But he could feel it. He was a high elf so he had a very close connection to nature. He could interpret by the way an animal looked at him how it felt at the moment. He also knew when a tree was sick or infected by vermin without needing to take a closer look at it. He only needed to put his hand on the tree's bark, sometimes he just had to be in the tree's near. He was not the only member of his race which had a similar connection to the plants and the wildlife. Most citizens of Quel'Thalas had such a close connection to nature. He didn't know about any ranger who hadn't such a strong connection.

Kelrian got close to a few trees, touching them to find out how they were feeling. The trees seemed to be alright. None of them was infected or sick. Sometimes, Kelrian heard the trees of the Eversong Forest whisper words or even entire sentences to him.

But today, the trees were silent in this part of the Eversong Forest. He was wondering why they didn't speak to him today. It was impossible to have a conversation with a tree, not to mention members of other races would call him insane if they would see him speaking to a tree. Every creature which wasn't an elf would believe that. Other elves wouldn't think that he would be insane. They would understand him because they were also connected to nature.

Kelrian regarded a tree which had grown out of a manipulated seed. Kelrian didn't know much about forestry but he assumed that such trees would become older than normal trees, also they would grow faster. He removed one of the tree's leaves, wondering if that would make the tree angry. But the tree didn't communicate with him, so ´didn't get an answer to his unspoken question. Kelrian regarded the leaf, noticing that its shape was not different from the shapes of the leaves of the natural trees. He dropped the leaf and walked over to the hut, knocking at the simple wooden door.

The door was opened a few moments later. Sylvanas stepped out of it, her lips formed a wide smile as her eyes spotted the young man she had been waiting for. Kelrian returned her smile, regarding her from head to toe.

She was not wearing her Ranger-General uniform she was usually wearing. Instead, she wore a blue dress. It was not an extraordinary dress, so it wasn't adorned by jewels or other decorations. Instead, it was a normal looking dress which didn't seem to be very expensive. The dress may not be extraordinary but Sylvanas still looked gorgeous in it. She looked stunningly beautiful in such a normal dress, so Kelrian was wondering how gorgeous she must look in an expensive dress.

Kelrian found himself staring at her, even drooling a little. He wiped it away, hoping Sylvanas hadn't seen this. The big grin on her lips confirmed that she had seen it. Her grin became wider when she noticed that his gaze wandered to the low neckline of her dress. She didn't mind that he was ogling her breasts because that was the neckline's purpose.

She loved to make him speechless with her looks. She knew she was gorgeous and she knew exactly how to use her beauty to get an advantage. In this scenario, there was no advantage she could get. What she got instead was a stunned Kelrian who was looking at her as if she was a goddess.

Sylvanas chuckled, waving her hand in front of his eyes. Nothing happened. She snapped her fingers in front of his eyes. Still no reaction. She put her hand on his cheek, caressing it carefully. At least this worked causing that he was brought back from the dreamland, he had been in, to the cheeks became dark red as he realized that he had been lost in thoughts. He wanted to look away ashamed but Sylvanas held his chin in her hands and prevented that he could turn his head.

"You look gorgeous" he complimented.

Sylvanas chuckled. "Thank you" she said, regarding Kelrian. "I really like your look" she said as she pointed at his blue jacket and his brown trousers.

"Thank you"

"It's the perfect choice of clothing for our first rendezvous" statemented Sylvanas.

Kelrian's eyes widened and his lower jaw dropped. "R...Rendezvous?" he stuttered. "I thought that we are having a surprise birthday party for Zetai"

"Where did you get that idea?" she asked with a teasing smile on her face.

Kelrian pulled an envelope out of his pocket, taking a letter out. He unfolded it, read it quickly and handed it over to Sylvanas. She took it and read it even though she knew what was written in it because she was the author of the letter.

"There is nothing wrong about this letter"

"You told me that I have to come to this hut and help you prepare everything with the others"

"This was just a pretext, an excuse to lure you to this place **"**

Kelrian regarded Sylvanas once again, his gaze rested long on her breasts and on her beautiful face. He noticed for the first time that she wasn't wearing a hood, so her golden-blonde hair was loose. It looked far better than he had expected. It looked magnificent like the rest of Sylvanas' body. There was nothing about Sylvanas' body that didn't look beautiful. She was perfect. Not too perfect but too good for Kelrian. At least he was believing that. He thought that he didn't deserve her but Sylvanas saw things differently. In her opinion, he deserved her.

"Well, to be honest, you wouldn't wear a dress to a private birthday party, so I should have known that no birthday party is happening in this hut. What is going on?" asked Kelrian, signalizing her that he wanted answers.

She chuckled. "I already told you why I have invited you to this place"

"You invited me for a date?"

"I did. If you consider everything, it all makes sense. The remote hut which is not easy to find if you don't know where it is exactly, the dress and the fact that I have forbidden you to mention anything to anyone. You are the only one who received such a letter, so I didn't want that you get confused when you find out that the others aren't invited to a surprise birthday" explained Sylvanas, smiling at him.

"You planned everything just for me? "

"Of course I did. We are unofficially dating for half a year, so I finally want to spend some time with you"

"Don't we see each other every day?" asked a still confused Kelrian.

Sylvanas rolled her eyes. "Yes, we see each other every day but we don't have much time for us. We can't really spend time together when the others are around. Seeing you every day during the training is not enough for me. I want to do so many things with you but I can't. Mainly because I'm very busy but also because we want to keep our relationship secret to prevent that we get unnecessary attention. You know there are a lot of jealous admires who would do things to you once they are alone with you. This is the best way to protect you"

"I don't need your protection, Sylvanas. I'm a big boy. I can take care of myself"

She chuckled. "I know. But is it wrong for me to worry about you?".She put her hands on his cheeks, caressing them carefully as she stared into his blue eyes. He returned the staring, smiling at her. She closed the distance between their faces, pressing her lips on his. He didn't hesitate to return the kiss, wrapping his arms around the smaller elf. Years ago, Sylvanas had been one head taller than him but Kelrian had grown over the years. Sylvanas was taller than most high elf females, she was even as tall as the most males she knew. But she was not as tall as Kelrian who had become one head taller than her.

Kelrian pulled the quel'dorei woman closer to him, deepening the kiss. He inserted his tongue in her mouth, smiling into the kiss as he felt her doing the same. Their tongue's wrestled but Sylvanas' tongue won the fight for dominance. She was the first who could explore the mouth for her partner. They breathed heavily as they parted after a few minutes. None of them denied that this kiss had felt everything but wrong **.** Both of them had really enjoyed this awesome kiss. They couldn't kiss very often, because they were always afraid someone may see them **.** But when they did it, the kisses they shared were full of passion and desire **.**

Sometimes, they couldn't kiss for a few weeks because both of them were very busy. So, whenever they had the opportunity, they made the most of it. And they did it at this very moment. Sylvanas put one of her hands on the back of Kelrian's head, pulling him in again to seal her lips to his. Their tongues danced, their hands roamed over their bodies, their eyes were closed as they held the most passionate kiss they had ever shared. They pulled away eventually, both of them were out of their breaths. They stared at each other, not saying anything because they didn't want to ruin this moment.

They remained silent for a few minutes, wondering who will break the silence first. It was Kelrian who broke the pleasant silence as he ran his fingers through her hair. "Your hair is gorgeous, it's a real shame that you hide it beneath your hood all the time"

"The more of my hair I hide under the hood, the smaller the chance is that an enemy will manage to grab it and pull on it. Pulling one's hair can really hurt. I know I'm good but that doesn't mean that I have to give my opponents an unfair advantage"

"You are right as always" statemented Kelrian.

"I know" said Sylvanas, returning his smile.

"Do you want to come in? Only because nobody will find us in this place doesn't mean we have to stay in front of the hut all day and all night"

"You are right. I'm sorry"

"There is nothing to apologize for"spoke Sylvanas, patting his back softly.

"You are right. Let's go inside, I'm curious what you have prepared for me"

"Why are you so sure that I have prepared something?" teased Sylvanas.

You wouldn't have tried so hard to lure me to this place if you wouldn't have prepared something" statemented Kelrian.

"You are a smart guy" responded Sylvanas as she opened the door and led Kelrian in. The first thing he did was to let his eyes roam from corner to corner, scrutinizing the hut's inside closely. The furniture seemed to be made out of the same wood which had been used to build this hut. There was a table in the middle of the room around which four chairs were standing. On the left side of the room was a small wardrobe, a closet and a shelf. On the right side was a chimney made out of stones. There was a fire burning in it, which warmed up the room. The floor was covered by bear rugs. All in all, the room looked comfortable.

"This place seems nice"

"Thank you" said Sylvanas, guiding him to the table.

"Did you build it yourself?"

"I did"

Kelrian didn't hide how impressed he was when he looked at her. "What was the reason for that?"

"I wanted to have a place where I could withdraw and relax after a stressful week. Also, I wanted to try something new so I decided to build it" Sylvanas responded, offering him to take a seat. Kelrian did as he was told, leaning against the back of the chair which was more comfortable than he had expected.

"Why did you choose this area?" he asked curiously.

"It's a rarely visited place, so the chance is pretty low that someone will find out that this is my place of retreat"

"What if someone follows you? Wouldn't someone find it out sooner or later? You are a very popular person which means you have a lot of admirers. Aren't you afraid that a person will stalk you one day and find out where your place of retreat is?"

"Don't worry" said Sylvanas, walking over to the right corner of the hut which was furnished like a small opened one of the little cupboards, pulling two glasses and a bottle of wine out of it. She walked back to Kelrian, putting one glass in front of him and the other in front of her. She opened the bottle, pouring wine in their glasses, then she put the bottle in the middle of the table.

"I always make sure nobody follows me. I would notice soon enough if someone would follow me. Only a few rangers are able to make no noises while moving. Most of my best rangers make quiet, almost unrecognizable noises. Only an experienced elf with excellent hearing can recognize such noises. I am experienced enough, not to mention that I am able to find out if someone follows me without needing to listen to the noises they make. I recognize even those who don't make any noises"

"So, you are one of the few whose ears hear excellent enough" concluded Kelrian.

"That's right"

"I have to say that you impress me more from day to day" complimented Kelrian. Sylvanas smiled at him, putting her hand on his. She caressed the back of his hand while she stared into his handsome eyes.

Kelrian returned the staring, not noticing that he became addicted to the shining of her eyes. He was drawn to them like a moth to a very bright source of light. He couldn't stop himself from staring into her beautiful blue orbs. Only when Sylvanas cleared her throat, he was brought back to the presence. "Sorry" he muttered, looking ashamed at his hands. Sylvanas put her hand under his chin, lifting it up. She gave him a teasing grin, caressing his chin softly. "There is nothing you have to apologize for"

"Why did you request me to come to this hut? I thought you want to relax here alone"

"I would rather relax together with you here than relaxing alone"

"I can't blame you for that" he said and scrutinized the hut's inner once again. "This is a really loveable place"

"I'm glad you like it" responded Sylvanas, smiling at him before she took a sip of wine. Kelrian did the same, his eyes widened when he noticed that this wine tasted much better than every other wine or alcoholic drink, he had ever consumed in his life so far. Sylvanas chuckled when she saw the expression he made. It was clear that she was pleased that Kelrian enjoyed the drink.

Sylvanas emptied half of her glass, then she stood up and walked to the left corner of the room where a record player was standing. She took one of the many record disks, placing it on top of the record player. She walked back to the table as the music started to play. The music was slow and harmonious, making it ideal for a romantic date.

Kelrian was about to say something but Sylvanas put her index finger on his lips, silencing him. Kelrian raised an eyebrow and gave her a confused look but Sylvanas just giggled and signalized him to enjoy the moment. Kelrian nodded to her, taking another sip of his drink before he leaned back and looked into Sylvanas' gorgeous face. She looked back at him, put her hand on his and intertwined their fingers. She caressed the back of his hand, smiling when she noticed the barely visible blush on his cheeks.

"You don't need to be ashamed" she said after a while.

"I'm not ashamed, I'm just a bit nervous" he admitted.

"You don't need to be nervous either"

"Well, I'm having a date with the most beautiful woman on Azeroth so that is reason enough to be nervous"

"Don't exaggerate, I'm not that beautiful. There are many other women who are as beautiful as I" Sylvanas spoke.

Kelrian raised an eyebrow, tilting his head a little. He leaned forward and pulled her hands closer to his body, putting his hands on hers. "That's not the truth. You are by far the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life. There is no one who is a match for you, not even your sisters"

"You are exaggerating again"

A faked sigh escaped Kelrian's lips. "Fine, your sisters are gorgeous as well but they aren't as gorgeous as you are"

"Thank you" she responded, smiling at him. She was very happy at this moment. On a usual day, she gets countless compliments from others but she didn't care about any of these compliments. They meant nothing to her. The only compliments which mattered for her where those Kelrian said to her whenever they were alone. She was deeply in love with him, so she highly valued every compliment he said to her **.**

"You don't need to thank me for speaking out what everyone thinks"

"I don't care what everyone thinks. I only care about what you think" she said.

He didn't say anything in response. Instead, he brought one of her hands to his lips, kissing it softly. He had to admit that he really liked touching her. Her skin was so smooth, her hands were so warm and soft. He loved to hold them and intertwine their was really lucky to have her. He was lucky that he was the one she had fallen in love with.

There were so many other good-looking men, some of them looked by far better than him. There were so many other men who were more popular than him and had a greater influence than him. Nevertheless, Sylvanas had chosen him to be her boyfriend. He still found it weird to regard himself as her boyfriend and Sylvanas as his girlfriend. It sounded so surreal to him. Sometimes he didn't believe that it was real. But it was real, luckily for him.

Kelrian and Sylvanas held hands but other than that they didn't do anything in the next thirty minutes. Sylvanas pulled her hands away eventually. She didn't do that because she had got tired of holding hands with him. On the contrary, she loved it. She only let go of his hands so she could refill their glasses.

They emptied their glasses while speaking about casual topics and flirting from time to time. Kelrian became a bit tipsy after the third glass but he was still able to behave as if nothing had changed. The only difference Sylvanas noticed was that he wasn't afraid anymore to let his gaze wander to her breasts even though he knew she would notice that.

Sylvanas didn't mind at all. She didn't even complain about the lack of exposed skin on Kelrian's side. She remembered the day where she had found herself ogling Kelrian's exposed upper body. She had done that on the day of the second exam Kelrian had attended. The candidates had shown the examiners back then how good they were at swimming. She had shamelessly scrutinized his muscular upper body back then and she wouldn't mind doing it again these days.

Unfortunately for her, he was wearing his jacket and probably an undershirt beneath it. She couldn't ogle him in return, she could only regard his handsome face. But she didn't mind that because she found his face really attractive. He was really attractive in general, not only to her. She knew that lots of women wererhapsodizing about him. Those women really liked his appearance as well and they found him sympathetic. Sylvanas had found out that she became jealous whenever another woman was talking about Kelrian like this. But her jealousy had vanished when she had asked Kelrian out and convinced him to start a secret relationship with him.

Nobody except for them knew about their relationship so nobody talked about them. Men and women were still admiring Sylvanas and lots of women rhapsodized about Kelrian. It seemed that his _fanbase_ was almost as large as Zetai's, who was by far the most attractive and popular man among the newest generation of recruits. Unlike Zetai, Kelrian wasn't aware that so many women liked him. Nobody had told him what an effect he had on other women. He hadn't done much to cause that the best and the most beautiful ranger of Quel'Thalas had fallen in love with him.

Of course, Sylvanas would never tell him that so many women liked him. She trusted him and she was pretty sure that he wouldn't choose another woman over her, still, she didn't want to risk anything. Nor did she wanted to risk that he might turn into a playboy.

She loved him for who he was. She wouldn't like it if he would change completely. He was such a loveable man and Sylvanas would never replace him with someone else. There was no one who was like Kelrian. There was no one else who didn't only like her because of her look or her fame. Unlike most men and some women she knew, he hadn't thrown himself at her. Sylvanas had come to him and confessed her feelings to him. Kelrian had needed some time but then he had told her that he felt the same **.** This convinced Sylvanas that he wasn't just dating her because he was hoping to get a better reputation.

Sylvanas insisted that he would lean back and relax while she would prepare the food. But Kelrian had other plans. He didn't stop talking to her until she allowed him to help her. Together they roasted the boar, Sylvanas had hunted hours ago, peeled and prepared the potatoes and cut the vegetables in small pieces. Sylvanas prepared a sweet sauce while he cut mushrooms which Sylvanas had found in the hut's near. Kelrian didn't know much about mushrooms so he had been worried at first that these mushrooms were poisonous. She had assured him that these were eatable mushrooms, so he had used them for a mushroom soup.

He had to admit that he had really enjoyed cooking with her. There was only one thing he enjoyed more than doing that: Holding her hand while eating with her. They didn't dare to look at something else than each other as they eat the soup which tasted better than expected. They only pulled their hands away as they started to eat the main course for which they needed both of their hands. In Kelrian's opinion, the meat was the best meat he had ever eaten. Sylvanas really liked it as well but she had eaten other types of meat which had been even more delicious than this one. It was not her favourite type of meatbut it was definitely recommendable in her opinion.

"We should do this more often" spoke Kelrian as soon as they had finished eating.

"I would love to, but you know as well that we don't have many opportunities where we can be alone for a few hours. We are both very busy usually **.** I will try to give you and your team a day off from time to time so we can meet and spend time together" responded Sylvanas.

"What about the weekends?"

"Usually, I'm very busy as well at the weekends. I'm visiting my family every weekend, not to mention that I give private lessons to my younger siblings. My little brother wants to be a ranger one day, as my sisters and I. I want that as well so I train him whenever I can"

"Too bad"

Sylvanas put a hand on his cheek, caressing it carefully. "Don't worry, I will find excuses so I don't have to go to Windrunner Spire every weekend. This could mean that we can see us on some weekends but we have to be careful as always"

"It's better than nothing, I guess" Kelrian said, smiling at her.

Sylvanas returned the smile. "Indeed, it is". He stared into her beautiful eyes, not realizing that the time was passing by quickly when he did so. He turned his head after a while, not knowing how much time had passed as he looked out of the only window. His eyes widened in surprise as he noticed that night had already fallen. He realized that they had spent the entire day in the hut.

He looked back at Sylvanas, noticing the many candles which were placed on different spots in the room. Their flames enlighten the room enough so the couple was able to see each other clearly.

"When did you..." he started but stopped speaking for the moment as he saw the desserts in front of them. "I didn't notice you enlightening the candles and serving the desserts"

Sylvanas chuckled. "You were so lost in your thoughts that you didn't notice anything. I could have undressed in front of you and you wouldn't have noticed it"

"Was I really that absent?"

Sylvanas nodded.

"Why didn't you paw me slightly?"

"I don't know, to be honest. I found the face, you were making, cute. What were you thinking about?"

Kelrian blushed, looking away in embarrassment. Sylvanas chuckled softly, standing up from her seat. She walked over to her boyfriend, putting her hand beneath his chin, turning it so that he had no other choice than looking at her. "You don't need to tell me everything but it would be rude if you wouldn't tell your girlfriend about the _inappropriate thoughts_ you have about her"

Kelrian blushed deeply but didn't avoid eye contact. Girlfriend.

Sylvanas was his girlfriend. That was the truth but it still sounded so surreal to him. He would have never believed that he, of all men in Quel'Thalas, would be allowed to date Sylvanas Windrunner. THE Sylvanas Windrunner who was the most beautiful and popular woman in Quel'Thalas.

He considered himself as an ordinary recruit and almost everyone thought the same. Sylvanas belonged to the few who knew that he was different than the others. Sylvanas was pretty sure he will become very successful as a ranger. She was sure that he will belong to the best rangers one day and she expected that sooner or later he will join her main unit, which consisted of the best rangers in Quel'Thalas.

"Is something wrong?" asked Sylvanas, regarding Kelrian with a raised eyebrow.

"Well... Not really... It's just still strange to me to consider you as my girlfriend. I mean you are Sylvanas Windrunner, the most beautiful woman in the world and the best ranger of Quel'Thalas. I, on the other hand..."

"You are one of the best recruits I have. You are a very smart man, not to mention that you have a strong will and you wouldn't shrink back from risking your life to save others. You have a big heart. But these are not the only reasons why I love you. I love to spend time with you, to talk to you and be silly when only you are around me. You help me forget how stressful life is as Ranger-General. You help me to relax after a stressful day.

There is so much more I love about you, which I'm not aware of, which doesn't want to come in my mind at the moment. I love you for who you are, for the whole package and I'm glad that you love me as well" told Sylvanas, smiling as she noticed that Kelrian was speechless. He could only stare at her. Sylvanas put her hands on his cheeks, rubbing them softly. She lowered her head, closing the distance between their faces so she could press her lips against his.

He hesitated at first but then he gave himself to her, returning the kiss. He couldn't stop her from inserting her tongue in his mouth nor could he stop her from sitting down on his lap, straddling him. She pressed her body against his, putting one of her hands on the back of his head. Her other hand continued to caress his left cheek.

Kelrian ran his fingers through her soft hair, toying with a few strands he deepened the kiss by inserting his tongue into Sylvanas' mouth. He could taste the alcohol on her lips whenever their lips met but he didn't mind. He was tipsy as well so he didn't mind that Sylvanas might have emptied too many glasses. He couldn't remember how many she had drunken but he didn't care. What mattered to him was that Sylvanas sat on his lap and kissed him hungrily.

They pulled away after a while, breathing heavily as they stared into the eyes of the other. They needed a few moments to relax a noticed the lust in Sylvanas' eyes nor did he miss that she wanted to do the next step but hesitated because she was afraid that she could ruin everything by rushing things. He was unsure if he wanted to do _it_ with Sylvanas at this very moment. Of course, he would do _it_ with her one day but he wasn't sure if this day was the currentday _._ He would prefer to not rush things and wait longer. Probably as long as necessary. He wanted to wait until he was ready for everything and he was pretty sure Sylvanas would understand that.

Sylvanas stared into his gorgeous eyes, wondering what was going on in his mind. She wanted him so badly. She knew he was the man she had been looking for overseventy years. She hadn't slept with a man since this period of time, so it was only understandable that she longed for direct body contact. Pleasuring herself from time to time was not a permanent solution. She needed a man and this man was Kelrian but she didn't want to ruin everything so she had decided to let him do the first move.

She could undress in front of him and seduce him. With her beauty, it would be too easy. Kelrian wouldn't be able to resist her as soon as he would see her naked form. Sylvanas was sure about this because this trick had worked so often on men and women. But Kelrian was not just a meaningless love affair for her. He was the one for her. He was the man she had been looking for a long time. And she would give him all the time he needed in the world. She had survived seventy years without sex **,** so she could survive longer if necessary.

"What about the desserts?" Kelrian asked after a few minutes of pleasant silence. Sylvanas chuckled. She would love to respond _I am your dessert_ but she didn't because she didn't want to push him. Instead of responding verbally to him, she turned around and took the creamy yoghurt from the table.

She turned back to Kelrian, starting to feed him with a spoon. From time to time, she also tried a few spoons of the yoghurt but she fed most of the delicious dessert to the man on which lap she was still sitting. Sylvanas didn't stop until she had fed both desserts to her boyfriend. She used the back of her hand to wipe the amount of yoghurt away, which stuck on his lips.

She smiled at him and he smiled back at her, staring into her blue orbs. They kissed again, holding it as long as possible. They pulled away eventually, breathing heavily. Sylvanas caressed his cheeks, smiling as Kelrian did the same. The young couple sat there for a while, enjoying each other's presence.

Kelrian yawned, noticing that he was really tired. He looked at the bed, then at the couch on the other side of the room. "It's already late"

"You can spend the night here if you want"

"I have to sleep on the couch then, right?"

"Unless you want to sleep in the same bed as I" spoke Sylvanas, smirking at him.

"I would love to but I think that would be too soon. Remember, this is our first real date"

"I know, it was meant as a joke" responded Sylvanas, hiding her disappointment as best as possible. She wished she could have cuddled with him at least but she understood his hesitation. She didn't take offence at his behaviour, she could understand that he didn't want to rush things.

"Fine" spoke Kelrian, walking over to the couch. Sylvanas walked to the closet next to her wardrobe, pulling a blanket and a pillow out of it. She walked over to Kelrian, handing him these items.

He nodded at her. "Thank you, Sylvanas"

"You are welcome, my dear" she said, regarding him closely. You don't have a pyjama with you, right?"

Kelrian nodded his head.

"I expected this so I bought you one" she said as she walked back to the closet and pulled a blue pyjama out of it. She returned to him and gave him the pyjama. "I hope it fits you"

"Let's find it out" responded Kelrian, staring at her for a few moments. He cleared his throat after an entire minute had passed, then he asked Sylvanas to turn around. She rolled her eyes playfully but she listened to him, turning away until he told her that she was allowed to look again. She regarded him, finding out that the pyjama fit perfectly. "It suits you"

"Thank you"

"Now, it's my turn but you don't need to look away"

"It would be indecent if I would watch a lady changing her clothes"

"I wouldn't mind" teased Sylvanas.

Soft laughter escaped his lips. "I believe that, but I'm a gentleman so I insist. Sorry to disappoint you"

"It's fine" responded Sylvanas. She waited until Kelrian had turned around, then she removed her dress and put it back in the wardrobe. She debated for a second if she should remove her underwear as well or if she should leave it on. She remembered that nothing will happen between them during this night so decided to keep it on. She put on her pyjama and walked over to the couch, telling Kelrian to turn around.

The first thing he did when he turned around was to scrutinize her from head to toe. The pyjama didn't reveal skin nor did it accentuate her curves. Still, Kelrian had to admit that she looked gorgeous in it. He was pretty sure that she would even look gorgeous if she would wear a potato sack. He believed that there was nothing in which Sylvanas wouldn't look good. He didn't dare to imagine how she would look like if she would wear nothing. He was pretty sure his mind wouldn't be able to cope with that.

He tilted his head a bit when he noticed that Sylvanas was standing right in front of him. She didn't say anything, she just stared into his eyes and he did the same. She put her hand under his chin, pulling him closer so she was able to press her lips against his. The kiss was quick but passionate. She licked her lips as she pulled away, staring at Kelrian for a few moments before she turned around and walked to her bed.

"Goodnight, my love" she whispered.

"Goodnight, Sylvanas" responded Kelrian. He waited until Sylvanas laid in her bed and covered herself with her blanket. He laid down on the couch, wrapping the blanket around his body. He put his head on the pillow and closed his eyes, then he listened to Sylvanas' quiet breaths until he fell asleep eventually.


	14. Graduation - Part I

A quiet groan escaped Kelrian's lips as he realized that he was not sleeping anymore. He was not fully awake but he wasn't slumbering either. He opened his eyes slowly, realizing that everything was blurred out. His head was hurting as well, so he assumed that he had drunk too much the previous day.

At least he was able to remember what he had done the previous day. Last time he had drunk too much, he hadn't been able to remember everything. But this time, he could. He remembered meeting Sylvanas in a hut. They had eaten, listen to music, talked a lot and, of course, they had kissed. He had to admit that he had really enjoyed the previous day and he would love to do this again one day.

He opened his eyes after a while, sighing out in relief as he noticed that the world wasn't spinning around him anymore. He got up and looked around, noticing that Sylvanas was still lying in her bed. Her head was covered by her blanket so he couldn't tell if she was awake or not.

He didn't know how much time had passed as he saw Sylvanas moving a little. The quiet groan, which escaped Sylvanas' lips, was music to Kelrian's ears. He was wondering how every noise she made sounded so wonderful. His thoughts drifted in the wrong direction, making him wonder how she would sound if she and he would...

He shook his head, banishing these thoughts out of his mind. She may be his girlfriend and to have sex may be normal in a relationship but he was not ready yet, even though he knew Sylvanas very well. He knew a lot about her others didn't. She was his girlfriend and one day, they will do the next step and sleep together.

Kelrian didn't want to rush things so he would wait until he felt that he was ready. He had to admit that being near Sylvanas didn't make things easier. It had been really hard to resist her the previous day but the effect of the alcohol had diminished, which meant it should be easier for him to not give in to his lower desires and to remain patient.

He smiled as Sylvanas pulled the blanket away and got up slowly. She stretched her arms and her back, her perfect pure white teeth were visible as she yawned. She opened her beautiful blue eyes, looking at him. "Good morning" she said, smiling at him.

"Good morning" he said in return, smiling at her as well.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Indeed, I did, even though it's not easy to fall asleep when a goddess is in the same room as you"

Sylvanas giggled, walking over to him "You are such a charmer" she said as she patted his shoulder.

"I know" he whispered, caressing her left cheek. Sylvanas put her hand on his, rubbing it softly while she intertwined the fingers of her other hand with his free hand. Kelrian brought them to his lips, planting a kiss on the back of her hand, then he looked up to Sylvanas and gave her his brightest smile. Sylvanas' smile became brighter as well, her eyes stared into his.

They stared at each other for a while, caressing the other's hands and cheeks until Sylvanas decided to pull away. She would love to do this all day but she also knew that she had a lot of duties to do as Ranger-General. She was responsible for the safety of her people, especially for those who cannot defend themselves. She wouldn't be able to lead the Farstriders if she would play around with Kelrian all day, at least it wouldn't end up very well for her people if she would do so.

It was a phenomenon that the people felt safer and were more motivated when she was around them. Her captains and lieutenants had told her often that they had noticed that the members of the Farstriders were fighting better and were braver when she was around. She had an effect on every creature around her. Allies felt better when she was around and enemies were afraid of her which often led to a rash retreat.

Her mere presence was often enough to win a battle which had looked lost for the high elves at first sight. Sylvanas' skill in combat, her experience and her superior knowledge as a strategist had won the high elves so many battles and skirmishes and prevented that too many elves would have lost their lives during these times of war. She was the hope of her people.

She was even feared under the name _troll slayer_ by all troll tribes and even by the orcs. Her enemies often avoided her for these reasons. Many trolls and orcs had tried to kill her, they had tried to take this advantage away from the high elves but none of them had succeeded. All of them had been killed by Sylvanas herself or by her subordinates.

Sylvanas didn't ask Kelrian to turn around this time. She started to remove her pyjama, not caring that Kelrian was watching her. She was pretty sure that he stared at her well-formed ass which was only partly covered by her blue panties. Half of each butt cheek was exposed, giving Kelrian enough reasons to look at her butt longer than necessary.

He blushed when he found out that she had caught him ogling her. He didn't say anything nor did she. She just looked at him over her shoulder, scrutinizing his handsome face for a few moments before she walked to her wardrobe and pulled out one of her many Ranger-General uniforms.

"The training starts in three hours, you should hurry if you want to eat something before we go back to Farstrider Enclave"

Kelrian nodded and picked up his clothes, getting dressed before he approached Sylvanas who was already preparing breakfast. She put it on the table as soon as she was done, then she sat down on a chair. Kelrian sat opposite to her, so he could look directly at her while eating.

"Enjoy the food" spoke Sylvanas, smiling at him.

"Thank you, Sylvanas. Enjoy it as well"

* * *

_Two years later_

"Kelrian, over here" shouted a familiar voice. The addressed young man turned his head, looking in the direction where the shout had come from. He spotted Zetai and a woman, he had never seen before, sitting at a table. As expected, Zetai was wearing the newest uniform he and every other recruit, who had made it through the final examination, had received during the ceremony an hour ago. His uniform was not green, like the uniforms of the recruits. He was wearing a blue uniform which signalized everyone that he was now a ranger and no longer a recruit.

Kelrian was wearing the same uniform. Sylvanas herself had handed the uniform over to him. Not everyone had been allowed to get the uniform from Sylvanas herself. Many captains and lieutenants had helped her handing out the uniforms which meant that only a fraction had received their newest uniforms from the Ranger-General.

Sylvanas had given everyone, who had received the uniform, a the smile she had given Kelrian had been different from those she had given the others. She had regarded him longer than necessary. She had whispered congratulations in everyone's ears but she had said other words to Kelrian. She had told him how proud she was of him and how much he deserved this. She had also told him that she will allow him and Zetai to join her elite team and she had made more compliments before she had pulled away. She had regarded him for a few more moments, then she had walked to the next recruit.

Kelrian didn't remember much of the ceremony. He remembered a bit of the opening, where an orchestra had played epic-sounding music. He remembered bits of the speech Sylvanas had given and he remembered receiving the uniform from her. He didn't remember more because he had stared at Sylvanas all the time and had admired her beauty. The ceremony hadn't mattered for him. He was just glad that he became a ranger.

He had dreamed of this ever since he had found out that he was not able to use the light. He had set his mind on becoming a Farstrider, a ranger which would protect the people of Quel'Thalas, no matter what it would cost. And his dream had come true on this day. He was a ranger who had been trained by the best ranger in Quel'Thalas and he was allowed to join the best team the Ranger-General had assembled. He was able to join the best of the best. He had never believed that this might happen one day.

He was proud of himself that he had managed to achieve his goal. Sylvanas was also proud of him and he was glad about that. Her opinion really mattered for him. And he knew Sylvanas was not only saying this because he was her lover. She was saying this because she meant it honestly. She had known since they had met for the first time, thirteen years ago, that he had great potential. He had proved her assumption right as he had passed the final examination without any problems. After Zetai, he was the graduate with the best had turned out as Sylvanas had guessed.

Kelrian sat down next to his best friend and looked curiously at the woman, who was sitting next to him. Zetai wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him. The woman, who was wearing a mage robe, didn't seem to mind that. On the contrary, it seemed that she was comfortable around him which could only mean that she was a close friend of Zetai, maybe even his girlfriend.

"Who is your companion?" asked Kelrian.

Zetai looked at the woman, then at his best friend. "This is my girlfriend Salna Sweetblossom"

Kelrian gave Salna his hand, who shook it. "Sweetblossom? So, you are related to Ranger-Captain Sweetblossom?"

"Yes, I am" responded Salna. "Vara is my sister"

"I didn't know that Captain Sweetblossom's name is Vara. It's always good to know more about your superiors. Anyways, it's nice to meet you" said Kelrian, then he shifted his gaze to Zetai. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend. How long are you together?"

"Two years" Zetai responded shortly.

"Two years? And you didn't tell me?"

"We wanted to keep it secret as long as we are not sure if a serious relationship between us will work"

"I can understand you" muttered Kelrian, looking at his fingers.

"Are you dating someone secretly?" teased Zetai.

"Hm?" Kelrian looked up at his friend. "What did you say?"

"You said that you can understand me, so I assume you have experiences with secret relationships"

"Yes, I had a few short-lived secret relationships in the past but I don't want to talk about my love life, not with you and especially not when your girlfriend is with you"

"Ah, come on" said Zetai, patting his friend on the back. "There is nothing you have to be ashamed of, you can tell me everything"

"How many glasses has he emptied so far?" Kelrian asked Salna.

She chuckled. "Five, if I remember correctly"

Kelrian shook his head, giving them an amused smile. "You intend on getting drunk again, Zetai. Aren't you?"

"Maybe" responded the larger elf, giving his friend a very wide teasing grin. "Don't worry, I won't interrupt you making out with the Ranger-General this time"

"We weren't making out back then. We just talked" Kelrian said, looking at his friend and then at Salna, hoping that at least she was believing him. It was easy to read Salna's expression, so Kelrian found out that she didn't believe what her boyfriend was prattling. It seemed that she knew that Zetai talked a lot of bullshit whenever he had drunk too much.

Kelrian sighed out in relief, regarding the couple next to him. He was happy for Zetai. He didn't know much about Salna but he was happy that his friend had found someone who was important to him. Like himself, Zetai had kept his relationship secret, at least for the beginning. Unlike him, Zetai had decided to make his relationship public. That was something Kelrian was a bit jealous of when he was honest with himself.

He loved Sylvanas will all of his heart and he loved spending time with her whenever he could. He loved to kiss her, touch her and do other things with her but it bothered him that he could only show her how much he loved her when they were alone. They had started their relationship three years ago but only unofficially. Nobody knew about them, nobody except for Verena. Not even Sylvanas' sister Alleria knew about them. Sylvanas had assured him that only Verena knew -because she was her best friend - and because she wouldn't tell anyone. Sylvanas had promised that Verena's lips were sealed.

Kelrian didn't complain about their relationship. He would rather have a secret relationship with Sylvanas than being single. He only wished from time to time that he could show everyone that Sylvanas was his. He would love to hang out with her in public and kiss her in public like normal couples would do. This would also mean Sylvanas' admirers would stop flirting with her, ask her for a date or propose to her. But this would also mean that Kelrian would get unwanted attention from society and from Sylvanas' exes and admirers. Sylvanas wanted to protect him and prevent that a jealous admirer would do something to Kelrian. That was the reason why she held their relationship secret.

Unlike Zetai and Salna, she knew from the beginning that a relationship with Kelrian would work out so it wouldn't have been a problem to make it public from this perspective. But she didn't want to set Kelrian under so much pressure so she had decided to keep it secret even though it would mean they couldn't meet so often and could only hang out and doing stuff together when they were alone.

But the most important thing was that both were happy with this solution. They loved each other so they would rather be together secretly than not being together. This was the best solution for them and they were fine with it.

Kelrian was brought out of his thoughts when Zetai cleared his throat, giving his friend a questioning look. Kelrian turned his head looking at his friend. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked you if you know where the others are"

"I have no clue" responded Kelrian, shrugging his shoulders.

"They will come sooner or later, I'm pretty sure about that. If not, it's fine as well. In this case, we will have a chance to speak because Elonis and Elena wouldn't talk the entire time. Speaking of them, did you notice that Elena has a crush on you?"

Kelrian tilted his head, his face reflecteda huge amount of surprise. "What?"

"You can't tell me that you haven't noticed her many attempts to break the ice"

"I haven't noticed anything. You must misinterpret something"

"I am not misinterpreting anything" spoke Zetai, raising an eyebrow. "She has flirted with you very often but it seems you have never noticed it"

"I can't believe that she has done that. Why didn't I notice it?"

Zetai shrugged his shoulders. "Don't ask me. I don't miss whenever someone is flirting with me" he said. Salna cleared her throat noisily, causing that Zetai turned around to her. He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head as he gave her a questioning look. "What?"

Salna cleared her throat again, quieter this time. "Nothing" she muttered, giving her boyfriend an innocent smile.

Zetai shrugged his shoulders. "If you say so"

"Whatever" muttered Salna, rubbing his back softly as she leaned closer to him. She turned her head, leaning forward to look at Kelrian. "Elena is a good friend of mine. She is a very nice and smart woman. I don't know you but from what Zetai has told me about you, I assume that she would be a perfect match for you"

"Do you think so?"

Salna chuckled. "I wouldn't tell you this if I wouldn't think so"

"That makes sense. Anyways, Elena is nothing more than a good friend to me"

"Really?" asked Zetai.

Kelrian nodded.

"What a shame, she is so cute" Zetai turned his head to his girlfriend who was regarding him with a raised eyebrow. "Not as cute as you are, of course"

"I hope so"

Soft laughter escaped Zetai's lips as he pulled her closer until she had no other choice than slipping onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her, placing a few kisses on her neck. He looked at his friend after a while, noticing that he was eating grapes.

"Hey, where did you get the food?" asked Zetai, making a slightly surprised face.

Kelrian pointed at the banquet on the other side of the room. Zetai looked at it, his eyes roamed over the various dishes and drinks which stood on dozens of tables. He looked back at his friend after he had regarded the wide range of food and drinks, wondering why he hadn't noticed that Kelrian had left the table.

"When did you get these?" he pointed at the grapes.

"Five minutes ago, I guess"

"Why haven't I noticed you walking away?" he asked confused.

Kelrian chuckled. "You were busy making out with your girlfriend, that's why you didn't notice anything". He gave his friend a teasing smile, which became wider as he noticed that Salna was also smiling at Zetai. "It seems that you are the only one who didn't notice anything, honey" she statemented.

"Anyways, I'm really hungry. Let's get something to eat, my love" spoke Zetai, telling the woman on his lap to get up. She did as she was told, offering him her hand when he had stood up. Zetai took it and intertwined their fingers, then they walked over to the banquet.

While they were busy selecting their food, Kelrian ate his grapes, letting his eyes wander around. He saw a few familiar persons, recruits and rangers he knew for years. He also saw Sylvanas sitting at a table in the near of the right corner of the room. Verena was sitting next to her, her arm was wrapped around her shoulders.

Kelrian was too far away to hear what they were talking about. He had met Verena a few times over the past years. Sylvanas had told him a lot about her and he had also heard a few rumours about her but other than that he didn't know her very well. Sylvanas had explained to him how Verena was behaving. She had told him that he didn't need to worry about her, even though she loved to flirt with Sylvanas from time to time.

Kelrian was not sure what to think about this but he trusted Sylvanas. Nevertheless, he was still a bit jealous of Verena. He was not jealous because she was flirting with Sylvanas even when others were around them, nor was he jealous that Verena could spend so much time with Sylvanas.

He was jealous that he couldn't sit right next to Sylvanas in public and lean against her, hold her hands or kiss her cheeks. Verena could do that and nobody would mind because she was a woman and Sylvanas' best friend. Lots of people would start talking and spreading rumours if Kelrian would do that. Sylvanas and he had agreed to keep their relationship secret so he wouldn't do anything which could violate their agreement. As long as he was able to hold, kiss and snuggle up to Sylvanas when they were alone, he was fine.

Kelrian's gaze rested on Sylvanas, who noticed his staring eventually. She returned his staring, giving him a smile which he could even recognize from the distance. She would have stared longer at him if Verena wouldn't have put her hand under her chin and turned her head to her to get her attention. Kelrian didn't know why she had done that but it seemed that Verena was saying something to Sylvanas, at least it looked so from his perspective. She was moving her jaw, so she was either chewing on something or she was speaking to Sylvanas. Both options could be possible but Kelrian assumed that Verena was talking to Sylvanas.

Kelrian stared at his lover for a while, only turning his head as Zetai and Salna returned. They carried four plates in total which were filled to the brim **.** "Are you preparing for an eating contest or why have you put so much food on your plates?" asked Kelrian, giving them an amused grin.

"Haha, quite funny, Kel"

"I know I'm funny, you don't need to tell me this"

Zetai shook his head amused, nudging his friend's forehead playfully. He looked at Kelrian's plate, then at his own plate. "You don't eat much today, do you?"

"I'm not really hungry, to be honest" told Kelrian.

"I see. Would you mind getting something to drink for us?"

"Sure. I can. I assume you want alcohol"

"I do. Lots of alcohol, please" he responded with a wide grin on his lips.

"Fine, I will get you some but first you have to tell me something"

"Ask me whatever you want"

"I don't mind your girlfriend's presence but I'm still curious why she is here. She is not a ranger"

Zetai tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. He frowned. "Didn't the Ranger-General told you that you can invite someone to accompanyyou to this very important event?"

"No, she didn't" responded Kelrian, making a thoughtful face. He was wondering why Sylvanas had withheld this information from him. Maybe she had just forgotten this. This would plausible but on the other hand, Sylvanas rarely forget something. He didn't care about it. Liadrin had been already invited to the event so there would have been no one he could have asked to accompany him. He could only think of his younger siblings but his parents wouldn't have allowed that. Also, his older siblings and his parents would have never come to the celebration. Kelrian would have come alone even if Sylvanas would have told him the information.

But he didn't mind that. His friends were with him, even if it was only Zetai and his girlfriend at the moment. Sylvanas was also here but he couldn't do something with her, at least not when so many people were around them. Maybe Sylvanas would lure him away like she had done two and a half years agoat the celebration for the successful passing of the intermediate exam. He didn't think it was possible this time because lots of eyes were on Sylvanas. People would get suspicious if Sylvanas would walk away with him and return after a while.

"That is weird" commented Zetai eventually.

"Yeah, whatever"

"Do you go now or not?"

Kelrian patted his friend's shoulder softly. "Of course"

The other male smiled at him. "Thank you"

Kelrian nodded to him, got up and walked towards the banquet before Zetai would get impatient. He arrived at the tables on which dozens of bottles and hundreds of empty and filled glasses were standing. He took a tray from the nearest table, regarding the bottles in front of him. Even though he knew that Zetai drank almost every kind of alcohol he could get, he was unsure which bottles he should take. He took a bottle and regarded its label. 'Extra long ripened moonberry juice'. He placed it on the tray, picking up the next bottle. He also placed it on the tray after he had regarded the label.

He was about to pick up the third bottle as he noticed out of the corners of his eyes that someone was coming closer to him. He turned his head, spotting a smiling Elena. He regarded her from head to toe, noticing that her new uniform fitted her perfectly. Like Sylvanas' uniform and the uniforms of most female rangers and recruits, it accentuated her found himself staring at her longer than necessary but he managed to shift his gaze back to her beautiful face. He scolded himself inwardly for ogling someone who wasn't Sylvanas.

"Hey, how ya doing?" he managed to say eventually.

"I'm fine and you?" Elena asked, looking down at the tray in his hands. "It seems that you are planning on getting drunk"

"What? No, I don't want to get drunk" he exclaimed.

Elena put her hand on his left shoulder, soft laughter escaped her lips. "I know, Kel. I was just teasing you. I don't need to ask to know that these bottles are meant for Zetai who is too lazy to get his ass up"

"Well, I think he is just hungry and wants to eat something. The ceremony has endured longer than expected **,** so it's understandable that he is hungry. Maybe he just wants to make out with his girlfriend while I'm away. Who knows" he joked.

 **"** He doesn't want to make you feel bad" statemented Elena.

"Make me feel bad, what do you mean with that?" asked Kelrian, regarding the woman with the short cut turquoise dyed hair. Her hair only reached to the spot where the neck ended and the head started but she looked good with this haircut. Even Kelrian had to admit that, although he had only eyes for Sylvanas. He couldn't deny that Elena was gorgeous but that didn't matter to him because he was together with Sylvanas and happy about that.

"You are single, aren't you?" she asked, giving him a curious look.

"Yes, why are you asking?"

"Isn't it obvious, why I am asking"

"Well, maybe..." he responded quietly. He knew why Elena was asking if he was single. He could lie to her or tell her that he was already taken but he didn't want to think up lies if Elena would ask him questions about this girlfriend. He had no clue how to answer the questions she would ask him.

Soft laughter escaped her lips, she shook her head slightly and patted his shoulder. "I don't know why but I find it cute that you pretend to be stupid **"**

"What? I..." he started but stopped speaking as he saw the flirtatious look on her face. She was grinning at him, playing with strands of her hair while her eyes rested on his face.

"I know you are a very smart person but sometimes you can behave like a fool. You do not only look good. I know you are also very skilled and very clever. There is nothing wrong with showing the others how smart you really are" she spoke.

Kelrian's eyes widened as he realized that Zetai had spoken the truth when he had told him that Elena was interested in him. The woman was indeed flirting with him and she had probably flirted with him over the past years without him only had eyes for Sylvanas. Maybe that was the reason why he hadn't realized that Elena was interested in him for quite some time.

"I...", he tried to say something in response but no words escaped his lips. Elena chuckled, telling him that she found him very attractive. Kelrian was pretty sure that she enjoyed embarrassing him. She was a predator but Kelrian wouldn't end as her prey. He loved Sylvanas too much to cheat on her with another woman even if she looked good as well.

He noticed that Elena was stroking his left arm as she smiled at him and stared into his eyes. He turned his head a little to look at Sylvanas, noticing that she was not looking in his direction so she didn't know what was going on. He looked back at Elena, realizing that she wouldn't give up that easily. He noticed that her breath smelled of alcohol as she came closer to him, leaning in until her face was only a few inches away from his. He didn't want to know how many glasses she had emptied so far. He could only assume that she had drunk a lot.

Elena was a very vivid person, she was also very direct about everything. Until this day she had never flirted with Kelrian when someone had been around, but this day was an exception. The alcohol she had consumed, had caused her to overcome her inhibitions, so she had gathered her courage and flirted with Kelrian who had no clue what to do in this situation. He didn't want to turn her down and risk a scene, on the other hand, he didn't want to cheat on Sylvanas. Flirting with Elena was not cheating in his eyes, nevertheless, he felt uncomfortable.

He didn't know what to do. He was already nervous even though Elena hadn't asked him out yet. She was too drunk to hold back at this point so she will ask him out sooner or later. He had to say or do something if he wanted to prevent that she would do something which could make Sylvanas pretty angry if she would see that.

But it was too late for him. He had had a small time window where he could have done something to stop Elena but he hadn't used it. Now it was too late. Elena wrapped her arms around his neck before he was able to say something. She gave him a flirtatious smile before she pulled him in and pressed her lips against his. Kelrian was too surprised and shocked to react immediately. He needed a few moments before he realized what was going on. He pulled away as soon as he had regained control over his body.

His eyes were widened in shock, his jaw was half-opened as he looked at the woman who had just kissed him without warning him. It didn't seem that she wanted to apologize to him, instead, it seemed that she had really enjoyed this kiss and wasn't regretting it. Kelrian couldn't tell if this kiss had been good or not. He only knew that it had felt wrong.

He was hoping that neither Sylvanas, Verena or Alleria had seen that. They will find out eventually, he was sure about that. A lot of people had seen them kissing, so it wouldn't take long until the news would reach Sylvanas.

Kelrian knew he had to speak to Sylvanas and confess what had happened. He was only hoping that Sylvanas wouldn't freak out. He had never seen Sylvanas being jealous before, so he was hoping she wouldn't overreact when he would tell her.

He noticed that Elena was about too lean in to kiss him again, so he turned his head at the last moment, causing that her lips met his cheek and not his lips. He looked back at her, noticing the frown on her forehead. She didn't say anything nor did he. She just stared into his eyes, caressing his forearm softly.

Her voice was not much louder than a whisper as she started to flirt with him again but he didn't respond to her. He just looked at her, frowning and raising an eyebrow as he tried to predict what she might do next. He assumed that it was very likely that she would try to kiss him again, so he turned his back to her and began to put random wine bottles on his tray.

He didn't look back at her. He only told her that Zetai was waiting for his drink before he walked away. He left her alone and walked as fast as possible to the table, where his friends were sitting at, as fast as possible. He knew his behaviour was rude and he would apologize to Elena later as soon as she would be sober. He didn't know what else he could have done in this situation so he assumed that this had been the best solution if he didn't want that Sylvanas would be mad at him.

He reached the table, putting down the tray with the bottles and glasses. He didn't respond to Zetai who thanked him nor did he say hello to Kelia who had arrived at the table a few moments earlier. He had only one thing on his mind. He had to find out if Sylvanas had noticed something. He looked at her, his heart skipped a beat as he noticed that she was approaching him. Her expression was unreadable so he had no clue if she had noticed something or not.

Kelrian assumed that she would stop in front of him and talk to him but she walked past him instead, their hands touched lightly. He turned his head, looking at her over his shoulder. Sylvanas was swaying her hips as she walked towards one of the many corridors which led away from the room. She didn't turn around to look at Kelrian as she left the room.

Kelrian frowned as he stared at the corridor longer than necessary. He was wondering what was going on in Sylvanas' mind.

Had she seen something? Was she mad at him? Why had she left the room so quickly without saying something to him?

Questions upon questions.

At this very moment, he noticed the rolled-up piece of paper in his hand for the first time. He unrolled it and read what was written on it.

_Meet me in the attic in twenty minutes._

_Don't you dare to come late. Be careful that no one follows you._

_SW_

Sylvanas wanted to meet him. In twenty minutes. Alone.

What could that mean? What did she want from him? Did she want to talk to him? If so, about what?

There were lots of questions to which he had no answers.

He could only meet Sylvanas on the building's attic and find out what why she wanted to meet him there. That was the only option he had and he didn't intend to not go to the attic. He had decided to meet up with Sylvanas and find out what she wanted from him.


	15. Graduation - Part II

He had his eyes closed, taking deep breaths as he tried to calm down. He could hear the beats of his heart which was rampaging in his chest. He was afraid that it would explode the next moment. Fortunately, it didn't. After a few minutes, he had finally managed to calm down. He made sure he was ready before he knocked at the door in front of him. He waited a few moments, then he opened the door slowly, sighing out in relief as he found out that it didn't produce too loud noises.

He entered the attic, noticing that it was smaller than expected. The building, in which the celebration was taking place, was very large so was its roof. That was reason enough to expect that its attic would be very large as well. But it wasn't for some reason. It was barely larger than forty square meters, meaning it was smaller than an average room in an average house.

Kelrian was wondering why the architects of the building hadn't made it larger. Maybe the architects had assumed that the headquarter of the Farstriders didn't need a large attic. Kelrian couldn't understand this because he thought that it didn't hurt to have a large attic. In his opinion it was never bad to have enough room to store things.

Kelrian looked around, noticing that no objects were standing on the floor. No cartons, no crates and not even chests. The attic was completely empty except for an ordinary chair which was standing in the middle. Kelrian walked over to it, regarding it curiously. He checked his surroundings once again, hoping to see Sylvanas somewhere. But she wasn't there.

This was strange. Hadn't she asked him to meet her there? Kelrian looked at his clock, realizing that twelve minutes had passed since he had received the eight minutes to wait.

He looked back at the chair, wondering why it was the only object in the room. He was about to reach out for it as he heard a quiet noise, which caused him to stop immediately. Someone had moved. He spun around, his eyes widened as he saw Sylvanas leaning next to the door he had forgotten to close. She had crossed her arms in front of her chest, one of her legs was bent and so its foot leaned against the wall.

Guilt came up in him as he remembered the kiss with Elena. He hadn't initiated it but he still felt guilty. It felt for him as if he had cheated on Sylvanas, even though he didn't. He wanted to look away because he felt unworthy to look at her but he was unable to avert his felt as if a spell had been cast on him which prevented that he could look at something else.

"You should close the door if you secretly meet someone somewhere" advised Sylvanas, giving him a small smile.

"Sylvanas" he said, sighing out in relief. "I didn't notice that you entered the room after me.

"I didn't, I was in the room the entire time"

"You were invisible, weren't you?"

Sylvanas nodded.

"Why do you want to meet me there?"

Sylvanas locked the door, then she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

"Of course I am but..."

"But what?" asked Sylvanas, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm wondering why you want to meet me in this place while the others are celebrating. I'm pretty sure that the others will notice soon that you are absent"

"I don't care what the others think. I only care about what you think" she said, making a pause as she regarded him from head to toe "I've locked this room so no one can come in and interrupt us"

"But they could hear us talking" said Kelrian.

Sylvanas lowered her voice. "Not if we whisper"

He lowered his voice as well "Alright"

"I don't need a specific reason to meet you, do I?"

"I don't think so" replied Kelrian.

"Good" Sylvanas smiled at him, pulling him closer until their bodies met. She pressed her upper body against his, her smile became wider as he put his hands on her hips. "I've missed you so much. It's a shame that we weren't able to see each other often in the past weeks except for the daily training every day"

"You were very busy the past weeks"

"I had to organize and prepare everything. The uniforms, the final examination, the ceremony, the celebration and so much more. I would have met you every day in secret if I would have had the , I didn't have the time.

"But now you have"

"Yes" she whispered, giving him a big grin. "Now I have more than enough time" she spoke before she pressed her lips against his, putting one of her hands on the back of his head and the other on his cheek. She deepened the kiss, biting his bottom lip softly until he parted his lips and allowed her to insert her tongue. She didn't wait for too long to explore every reachable corner of his mouth. He couldn't keep up with her. His tongue entered her mouth after she had licked every spot of his mouth three times at least. At least he was able to run the fingers of his left hand through her hair while his other hand caressed her left hip.

He didn't try to take over and lead, knowing Sylvanas wouldn't allow it. He just mimicked her actions with a delay of a few seconds. Even though this kiss felt so awesome, Kelrian decided to break it and pull away. Sylvanas tilted her head a little, raising an eyebrow as she gave him a confused look. "What's wrong?"

"Well, I... Something happened which doesn't want to leave my mind"

"You don't need to tell me more. I already know that Elena has flirted with you and touched you"

"She didn't just touch me" Kelrian said.

"She kissed you, I know". Sylvanas sounded oddly calm.

"You know that?" asked Kelrian, making a very surprised face.

"Verena has told me"

Kelrian made a doubtful face "Did she?"

Sylvanas' response was a simple nod.

"You don't seem to be upset" diagnosed Kelrian.

"That's true"

Kelrian frowned. "But why?"

"You didn't initiate the kiss, right? Nor did you deepen the kiss. You walked away as soon as possible and left Elena in front of the banquet. You didn't do anything wrong"

"You might be right" he muttered, looking at his feet.

Sylvanas smiled, putting her hand under his chin. She lifted it up so he had no other choice than looking at her. "So, there is nothing which has to be forgiven as long as you don't kiss her again"

"I will be careful next time. I will make sure she won't kiss me again. Promise

"I'm hoping that for you, otherwise, I have to _punish you"_ she responded with a very erotic sounding voice. She stared into his eyes for a few moments, then she pressed her lips against his.

She deepened the kiss after a few moments, pulling away from time to time only to kiss him again after a few was still in the lead so she sneaked one hand under the top of his uniform. She caressed his stomach muscles while placing kisses on his jaw, his cheeks and his long ears. She even took the tips of his ears in her mouth from time to time, chuckling whenever a quiet moan escaped his lips.

His eyes, which had been closed while they had kissed, shot open as he felt her other hand on a certain spot on his body. He looked down, noticing that Sylvanas' hand had found its way in his trousers and in his pants. It was touching his _most sacred thing,_ stroking it to make him feel better. She didn't blush nor was she embarrassed. She only gave him a dirty grin as she continued.

"Are you sure that we should doit here?" he asked, giving her a surprised look.

"Do you remember when we have done it the last time?"

"Well, yeah. It was four weeks ago, wasn't it?"

"Six. Six weeks, to be exactly" she corrected.

"I don't see a problem there"

"Other couples have sex every day or at least every second day if they are newly in love with each other. We have waited a whole year before we had sex. Don't forget that we don't have sex that often. Once a week is our maximum. That's not enough for me"

"I know but we are not a normal couple. We have to hide which means we can spend less time together. You are very busy most of the time which means we don't have many opportunities to enjoy ourselves"

"I know. You don't need to remind me of that. I use every opportunity I can get. This seems to be a perfect opportunity for us, don't you think so?"

"Well... I guess you are right"

"Good" spoke Sylvanas, giving him a triumphing smile. "Then shut up and keep your voice as low as possible"

"What do you..." he started but was stopped by Sylvanas who silenced him by pressing the palm of her hand on his lips. She stared into his eyes, waiting until he returned the staring. She took her hand away as she received an understanding nod. She unbuttoned his trousers, pulling them with his pants down. She bent down, using her hands and her mouth to make him feel good.

Kelrian found himself on the chair later, giving his best to be as quiet as possible. It was impossible to prevent that every single moan would escape his lips but he was able to hold back most of them. It was not easy because Sylvanas made him feel really good. She was sitting on his lap, her leggings and panties were lying on the floor, her chest plate and her bra were removed as well. Kelrian's face rested between her large breasts, his hands were tied behind the back of the chair. He was not doing much except for pushing his hips up and down, causing that Sylvanas felt good as well.

Their love-making ended as soon as Kelrian released inside her. Kelrian was too exhausted to perform again but that was no reason for Sylvanas to get off his lap. She was still straddling him, kissing him from time to time until she was satisfied enough. She stared into his eyes, getting off his lap after quite some time. She gave him a wide grin, glancing one last time at his semi-nude form before she picked up her clothes and got dressed. She pulled the key of the handcuffs out of her pocket, walking around the chair so she could undo the handcuffs. Kelrian stood up as soon as he was free, rubbing his wrists softly.

He got dressed within a few minutes, looking at his lover who also had a satisfied expression on her face **.** "I've needed this so badly" Sylvanas admitted.

"You are not the only one who has missed direct body contact"

Her smile became wider. "I know. You have really enjoyed it as well"

"How do you know I've enjoyed it?" asked Kelrian, giving her a teasing grin.

"The sounds you were making and the way your body has reacted are enough to prove that you have enjoyed it" told Sylvanas, grinning back at him.

He rubbed the back of his head softly "Fine, you got me"

Sylvanas smiled, staring into his eyes for a while. She cleared her throat eventually. "We should return. You will wait here for twenty minutes before you go back to the hall"

Kelrian nodded his head.

Sylvanas pulled him in for one last passionate kiss. She pulled back after a while, looking at him while she walked to the door and unlocked it, opened and closed it behind her as she left the attic.

* * *

Kelrian checked his surroundings as soon as he entered the gigantic room where the celebration was taking place. He spotted lots of rangers and many guests who weren't members of the Farstriders. This could only mean that most of the Farstriders had brought someone to the celebration. Every Farstrider, no matter if ranger or recruit, was allowed to bring up to two guests to the celebration. That was the reason why so many persons, Kelrian had never seen before, were in the room.

Every attending person was in a good mood and happy to celebrate with the others. He didn't spot a single person who wasn't enjoying this event. He looked at the table where Sylvanas had sat before she had left the room, noticing that only Alleria was still sitting there. He frowned as he regarded his surroundings closely, wondering where Sylvanas was.

He found her on the other side of the room, at the room's largest table, where almost all captains and lieutenants sat. She was talking to Verena and another woman Kelrian recognized as Ranger-Lieutenant Velonara. He didn't know much about her. He only knew that she was a friend of Verena.

Kelrian noticed that Sylvanas was looking at him from time to time, giving him a barely recognizable smirk whenever she did that. Kelrian regarded her for a while, then he walked back to the table where his friends sat. He saw Vendora, Kelia, Zetai and Salna. He didn't saw Elena and Elonis. He looked around, wanting to know if they were anywhere near but he didn't spot them. He took a seat next to Zetai, looking in the round as he formulated his question. "Where are Elena and Elonis?"

"Elonis got sick after emptying too many bottles of alcohol. Elena accompanied her to the nearest bathroom" responded Vendora. "At least I believe that because they left the room in a hurry. Not to mention that Elonis' face was as white as chalk"

"Or she has only pretended to be sick because they needed an excuse to get away, so they could be in peace without anybody wondering why they are away for so long" commented Zetai.

Kelrian's gaze fell upon him. "What do you mean?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It seems that Elonis has spent a lot of time over the past months with the Ranger-General's best friend"

Kelrian tilted his head, giving him a confused look "And?"

"It's not a secret that she is into girls, maybe she has turned Elonis. And now Elonis wants to make out with Elena in the bathroom"

Kelrian put one of his hands on his forehead, shaking his head slightly. "This is very far-fetched, don't you think?"

"Maybe but what if it's not?"

"It wouldn't change anything if one of them is into girls" spoke Kelia. "Homosexuality is not uncommon in our society. Just remember that the Ranger-General once had a relationship with Ranger-Captain Sunbather"

"These rumours were never confirmed" Salna threw in.

"We may have no proofs for that, but everyone knows that the Ranger-General and Ranger-Captain Sunbather have been an item for some time"

"Even if that is true, it doesn't change anything. There are no restrictions when it comes to love. Every creature is allowed to love who it wants, no matter of age or gender. It makes no difference if you love the opposite gender or the same gender" spoke Kelrian, receiving nods from everyone.

"So, let's be serious" he said after a few moments of silence. "What are Elena and Elonis doing?"

"No clue" muttered Zetai.

Kelrian looked in the round. "Does anyone know anything about them?" Everyone shook their heads.

"Maybe Elena needs to catch herself after you have turned her down" joked Zetai.

"Quite funny" muttered Kelrian.

"I'm always funny, you know"

Kelrian looked at his friend, observing him closely. It was unmistakable that he had drunk too much. Kelrian knew that Zetai could be very funny if he wanted to, but at the moment he wasn't. Sometimes, he could be a jerk which was the case at this very moment.

"Hey look, there she is" exclaimed Kelia, pointing in a direction. Kelrian's eyes followed the direction Kelia's finger was pointing at, spotting Elena near the entrance. She was leaning against a wall, arms crossed in front of her chest. She was making an expressionless face, not showing anyone how she was feeling at the moment.

Kelrian's gaze rested on her for a few moments before he turned his head to search for Elonis. He found her sitting at a table next to Verena. The Ranger-Captain had put her arm around the ranger's shoulder, pulling her closer. Her mouth was very close to Elonis' face, to her ear to be precise.

Kelrian assumed that she was whispering something in her ear. They could be speaking about something or Verena could be flirting with her. Maybe what Zetai had said was true. Kelrian was one of the few who knew about Sylvanas' and Verena's past. Sylvanas had told him this one day as they had spoken about lovers and love affairs from the past. To his disappointment, she hadn't given him many details about her relationship with her best friend, but she had confirmed the rumours at least. He had promised her to never tell anyone about this and he intended to keep this promise.

It didn't matter for him if Elonis and Verena were lovers or not. He didn't need to be afraid that Sylvanas will choose Verena over him because he knew she loved him and that she wasn't interested in women in general. Verena had been an exception. The only exception. Still, it would be only to his advantage if Verena would be in a would mean she wouldn't couldn't crave Sylvanas and wouldn't try to get her back **.**

"She looks so lonely and sad, this is almost heartbreaking" commented Vendora. Kelrian turned his head, looking at the elf with the long brown hair which was tied to a ponytail. He scrutinized her closely but didn't say anything. Of course, he knew that she was exaggerating. Elena didn't look very happy but she didn't look sad, in Kelrian's opinion at least.

"I would also be sad if my love interest would turn me down" muttered Kelia.

"C'mon guys, what should have I done in your opinion? She is just a friend for me but I didn't want to tell her this to prevent that I would break her heart" spoke Kelrian.

"You shouldn't have walked away" responded Salna. "At least not without saying anything in return"

"I won't justify my decisions. I have my reasons. Just leave it be, will you?"

"Fine" spoke Salna, a faked groan escaped her lips.

"Why don't you go over to her and clear things up with her? Tell her that you don't feel the same as she does. It would be better for both of you. This way you won't give her false hopes, so she can try her luck with someone else" suggested Zetai.

Kelrian frowned. "Are you sure that this is a good idea?"

"It's the best you can do right now. You don't want her to remain sad for the rest of the day, right? We all became rangers after the five hardest years of our lives. It would be a shame if Elena wouldn't be able to enjoy the celebration"

"She wouldn't feel better if I talk to her about everything. She will find out that I don't feel the same for her, so there is no way her mood will get better"

"Just try it" said Kelia.

"Fine, I will try it. Stop getting on my nerves" Kelrian said as he got up. He looked at Kelia, noticing the small grin on her lips. He shook his head slightly, deciding to not say anything in response. He walked towards Elena, reaching her within two minutes. She didn't notice him as he stopped right next to her, so he cleared his throat, giving her a small smile as she spun around and looked at him. Her eyes widened, her sad facial expression was replaced by a mix of surprise and hope.

"Hey" he started, not sure what else to say.

"Hey..." she responded, not knowing what to say either.

"I'm sorry for walking away without saying a word. I didn't want to hurt you... I was just...overtaxed, I guess. I didn't know how to handle the situation. I guess I was taken by surprise"

She looked at her hands as she spoke. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't know what was going on until it was too late. I guess the alcohol had spoken and acted for me"

"I forgive you" Kelrian smiled at her.

"I'm afraid I've ruined our friendship" she said quietly.

"You haven't, don't worry about that" he spoke and checked his surroundings quickly. "Would it be okay if we talk somewhere where it isn't that loud?"

"Sure, what place do you have in mind?"

"Hmm" Kelrian made a thoughtful face. "We should be able to find a place where it's quiet when we follow the nearest corridor. I don't want to get disturbed while talking to you. Not to mention it is hard to understand you while the others are cheering and celebrating.

"I'm fine with that. Go ahead"

Kelrian nodded to her, telling her to follow him. She did that without hesitation, stopping when he stopped in the middle of the corridor.

"So..." she said quietly as he turned around to look at her.

"How are you feeling?"

"Good, I guess" responded Elena, making a thoughtful face. "As good as it can be expected under the circumstances"

"I'm sorry if I have hurt you"

"You didn't but it was not cool to that you walked away. On the other hand, it was not the best idea to kiss you out of nowhere, especially when dozens of people were around us"

"I haven't noticed that you have feelings for me. I haven't noticed that you have flirted with me from time to time. I really like you but the truth is that I consider you as a friend and I don't think that will change. Ireally like you but only as a close friend. I'm sorry that I have to say this but I can't see us as lovers"

"It's okay" spoke Elena. It cost a lot of strength and willpower for her to hold tears back.

Kelrian pressed his lips together, giving her an apologizing look. He didn't know what else to do. Telling her the truth had been necessary because he didn't want her to chase someone she could never have. He didn't want that she would waste so much time on trying to get closer to him.

He wanted her to be happy but that was only possible if she would accept that he was not meant for her. The sooner she would accept that, the sooner she could move on and look out for another man she could love. He just felt bad for hurting her feelings. He cared about her but she was nothing more than a good friend to him.

"You are not the only man in this world but you are by far one of the best men a woman can dream of. Any woman would be happy to have you" she made a pause, taking a breath. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, go ahead"

"Is there another woman? Are you involved with another woman or what is the reason why you just consider me as a friend? Am I not your type?"

Kelrian sighed out, waiting a few moments before he answered. "I don't really have a type. I have to admit you are a very beautiful, smart and nice woman. I really like you but there is another woman I love with all of my heart. I won't tell you who she is nor will I tell you if you know her. I just want to be honest with you and tell you that I'm already in a relationship. That's the reason we can't be together. I love her too much to cheat on her, nor do I want to leave her for you. I'm sorry"

Elena lowered her head a bit, staring at the floor. Her ears hung lower than usual, signalizing Kelrian that she was really sad at the moment. But then she lifted her head after a while, looking back at him. It didn't seem that she was still sad, maybe just a bit disappointed. "I can accept this answer. At least, you haven't rejected me because you find me ugly"

Soft laughter escaped his lips. "You are everything but ugly, trust me"

She smiled at him. "Thank you"

He returned her smile.

"We are still friends, aren't we?"

"Of course, we are friends. Only because I don't want you as a lover doesn't mean I don't want to have you as a friend" told Kelrian, giving her a comforting smile.

"I'm glad then"

"Same am I"

"We should go back to the others" suggested the woman with the turquoise coloured hair.

"Go ahead, I will join you soon" responded Kelrian.

"Okay" she said, waving at him before she walked back to the hall.

Kelrian waited until she was out of his field of vision, then he turned around and looked in the opposite direction. "Was it necessary to spy on me?"

"I wasn't spying on you. I just made sure that Elena wouldn't try again to make out with you" spoke Sylvanas as she stepped out of the shadows, becoming visible. "Don't get me wrong, I trust you but I don't trust her"

"I see" he responded, regarding her with narrowed eyes.

"Your senses have gotten better" she complimented. "A year ago, you wouldn't have noticed me but now you can"

"Your perfume is betraying you. Because of our little love sessions, I have gotten used to the smell of your perfume. That's the reason why I have managed to notice your presence"explained Kelrian.

"Still, you have noticed me. Others wouldn't have managed that even if they would have known the smell of my perfume. You are not the second best ranger of your generation without a reason. Turns out my hard training has paid off" she complimented.

"I think we will see that as soon as you take me to a important mission"

"I'm pretty sure you won't disappoint me"

"I think that as well"

"Let's go back to the hall, shall we?" asked Sylvanas, patting his shoulder softly.

"After you, _Sylvanas_ " whispered Kelrian.


	16. Family Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise, two chapters on the same day.

_Sylvanas?_

_Sylvanas?_

_Sylvanas!_

Sylvanas startled as she felt a warm hand on her left shoulder. She turned her head immediately, looking at the hand's owner. It was Alleria who regarded her with a raised eyebrow. She didn't say anything, she stared at her.

"What?" asked Sylvanas eventually.

"Mother asked you something. It is rude to not answer her"

Sylvanas turned her head, looking at her mother. Like her daughters, Lireesa Windrunner was a very beautiful woman. She was over one thousand years old but she still looked very young like all elves. She wore a beautiful blue dress and a gorgeous necklace which consisted of blue gems. Her hair was blonde and wrapped up in a ponytail.

At this very moment, her mother was sitting on the opposite side of the table, regarding Sylvanas curiously.

"I already told you that I'm not going to marry Prince Kael'thas or anyone else you want me to marry. I will not marry anyone father wants me to marry only because he wants to get more influence and a wire to the royal family" told Sylvanas eventually, staring into her mother's eyes.

"But Sylvanas..."

"No buts, mother. I'm not going to marry someone I do not love"

"Nobody asked you to do that. I just wanted to ask you if you would at least meet up with the prince to get known to him better. I'm pretty sure he is a charming and wise man like his father"

"There are many other charming and wise men in Quel'Thalas. He is not the only one" interrupted Sylvanas before her mother could speak any further.

"But none of them is the crown prince. You don't know how many doors will open up for you if you marry Prince Kael'thas" spoke her mother, trying to convince Sylvanas but failing horribly.

"There are already enough doors open for me as Ranger-General. You were Ranger-General before me so you must know how powerful and influential I am in this position. I already have the king's ear, same counts for the prince and their advisers. If I want something, the chances are pretty high that I get that. I don't need to marry the prince to get what I want"

"But..." her mother tried again but fell silent as Sylvanas lifted her hand, signalizing her that she didn't want to speak about it anymore. Lireesa made a thoughtful face but then she decided to try it again.

"You are over one hundred seventy years old, my dear. Other women at your age are already married. I was married too when I was your age. A woman at your age with your status shouldn't remain unmarried for too long". She leaned over to Sylvanas, taking her hands in her own, caressing them carefully. "I only want the best for you. I only want you to be happy and that your wishes and dreams come true"

Sylvanas pulled her hands away, putting them on her lap. "Then you have to accept that I won't marry anyone father wants me to marry. He has to achieve the position, he is striving for, alone. If he wants to become one of the king's advisors, he has to prove himself worthy. I also had to prove myself worthy to become your successor after you resigned because of your disease. Father has to do the same. I won't marry someone I don't love only because father wants more power and influence. You can try to talk Alleria into this marriage or Vereesa but not me"

Sylvanas stared into her mother's eyes, signalizing her that she was serious about this. Her mother wasn't making a happy face but she seemed to have accepted Sylvanas' decision. Sylvanas turned her head after a few moments, looking at Alleria who was regarding her with an expressionless look on her face. Her lips were pressed together and her eyes hung on Sylvanas.

"I'm already spoken for" Alleria mentioned. "Also, Kael'thas wouldn't want to marry someone who already has a child"

Sylvanas sighed. "Where is your son anyways? I haven't seen him for a few weeks"

"He is visiting Stormwind City with his father"

"I still can't believe you have fallen for a human" spoke Sylvanas. "But I accept him because you love him and he loves you. Just don't forget that humans aren't living so long as we high elves do"

"I know about that, Sylvanas. You don't need to remind me of that. I will spend as many years with Turalyon as fates allow us and then... I have no clue what will happen then"

"I accept your relationship as long as you are happy"

"Trust me, I am"

"Good. Vereesa is still a minor so she wouldn't be able to marry the prince which means no one of us will marry him" Sylvanas statemented.

Her gaze shifted to her younger sister Vereesa who was avoiding eye contact by observing her plate longer than necessary. She didn't miss the blush on her face. Sylvanas chuckled. Her sister was so young and naive. She was still a minor by law, even with her ninety-three years. She may have the body of a mature woman but the mind of a teenager. Sometimes at least.

Sylvanas knew her baby sister pretty well, so she knew about her crush on Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider. Sylvanas had to admit that she could understand the reasons for that. Kael'thas was a very handsome, charming man who knew how to treat women. He was always friendly to others and did his best to help his people whenever he could.

He had a lot of admirers who wanted to be with him. Vereesa was one of them but she would never speak to him even if she would be alone with him. She was too shy and too afraid that she might disgrace herself in front of him. Sylvanas was not shy. She had no problem speaking to the prince or the king but she had no interest in Kael'thas, not even if she would be single. Kael'thas was not her type but there was someone else who was clearly her type.

Kelrian Sunsinger. Thinking of him was enough tomake her happy. She wanted him whenever she thought of him. She wanted to touch him, kiss him, cuddle up to him and do more things with him. She desired him but also sexually. He was the only man she had slept with after a long break of over seventy years. She had done this pause because she had been tired of one-night stands and short-lived relationships. The relationship with him was not only her longest but also the only relationship which made her truly happy.

There was only one thing which would make her a lot happier than she already was. She would love to have an official relationship with Kelrian. She wished she could show everyone that he was hers and that she was his. Telling the society about their relationship would be possible but it would also have its risks.

Sylvanas was loved by most citizens of Quel'Thalas which meant she had lots of admirers, lots of jealous admires too. She didn't want to imagine what some of them could do to Kelrian if they would see him alone somewhere. Sylvanas had always kept her relationships secret for this reason. She didn't want anyone to get hurt because of her. She was not sure if she would ever make their relationship official. She was not sure yet, maybe her opinion about this will change someday. Maybe. Maybe not.

Sylvanas regarded Vereesa closely. Unlike the rest of her family, her natural hair colour was silver instead of blonde or golden-blonde. Sylvanas remembered that her sister had hated her hair colour some time ago. She had even asked their mother if she could dye it. But Sylvanas had talked her out of this. She had told her that her hair colour was unique and special. Not everyone had silver-coloured hair so she should be proud of it. Sylvanas had needed some time to talk to her but in the end, she had managed to convince her sister to keep her hair like this.

Sylvanas noticed that her little sister was wearing her ranger uniform. "Are you going on a mission today, little moon? I don't remember giving one of my subordinates a task for you"

Vereesa lifted her head, looking at Sylvanas who regarded her curiously. She wanted to say something but Alleria was faster and responded for her "I'm hunting with her today"

Sylvanas looked at Alleria, tilting her head a little. "She belongs to my regiment which means you have to ask me first if I can spare her. I don't remember that she has a day off this week so she has to fulfil her duties from Monday to Friday this week. You can hunt with her on the weekend but not today"

"What is she doing that is so important that you can't spare her?"

"She joins the patrol which starts at Windrunner Village, then travels to the Sanctum of the Sun before they return to our village. Ranger-Captain Sweetblossom is sick for this week at least so I need an experienced ranger to replace her" explained Sylvanas.

Alleria raised an eyebrow. "Vereesa is only a normal ranger, not even a lieutenant. She can't replace Vara"

"I know that's why I'm going with her"

"Vara's group, Vereesa and you?" asked Alleria, making a doubtful look.

"No, Vara's group is doing something else. Zetai, Kelrian and a few of my rangers will join us"

"Why do you have to attend the patrol? Aren't there enough other captains or lieutenants who could replace her? Haven't you enough other duties to fulfil?"

"Surprisingly not. I don't have to do any other task this week so I will accompany my little sister on her patrol. Also, I want to show Kelrian and Zetai what they have to pay attention to when they are patrolling" explained Sylvanas, smiling when she noticed that she had won.

Alleria exhaled loudly. "Fine, do whatever you want. I will hunt with Vereesa on Saturday"

"Do that" spoke Sylvanas, smiling at her. She looked back at Vereesa who was also smiling at her. She put her hand on her cheek, caressing it softly. "Don't worry little moon, you will be able to hunt a few deers, boars and other animals soon enough. Father's birthday party is not till next week, so you have enough time to hunt animals and store their meat in a cold place"

Vereesa nodded to her but didn't say anything. Her gaze still rested on Sylvanas as she continued to eat her roasted rabbit meat and her potatoes. Sylvanas chuckled but didn't say anything. She was Vereesa's role model and she liked it. Of course, Vereesa was also regarding Alleria and her mother as her role models but Sylvanas was the person she looked up the most. She wanted to become a successful and skilled ranger like her sisters. She wanted to impress her sisters, especially Sylvanas. She knew she had a long way to go if she wanted to reach this goal. But she was pretty sure she will, so were the other members of her family.

Sylvanas' gaze rested long on her baby sister before it shifted to her little brother who hadn't said anything so far. Lirath was wearing a red tunic and blue trousers, his blond hair reached to his shoulders. Like his sisters, he also wanted to become a ranger one day but he was still too young to attend the examinations. He may be the Ranger-General's brother but that didn't mean that he could attend the examinations earlier than everyone else. He had to wait until he would reach his fiftieth year oflife to be allowed to attend the examination. Sylvanas was pretty sure he will endure the next thirteen years. He would have enough time to practise and become good enough to pass the exam.

Sylvanas looked at her plate eventually, noticing that she hadn't touched it yet. There were two fried chicken wings, potatoes, peas and lots of sauce on her plate. Her meal looked pretty delicious and Sylvanas was sure, without needing to take a bite, that it was very delicious. Sylvanas' mother was an excellent cook. She may not be able to be a ranger anymore but at least she was able to take care of her family and cook delicious meals for them. Sylvanas was a great cook too but she was not as good as her mother and she knew that. She loved to eat whatever her mother had prepared. There was not a meal Sylvanas didn't like.

She looked at her mother, receiving a simple nod. She gave her mother a smile before she took the cutlery in her hands and looked back at her plate. She cut the potatoes in little pieces and dipped them into the sauce, putting them in her mouth eventually. Then took a bite from the chicken wings.

"Delicious as always" said Sylvanas, smiling at her mother.

"I'm glad you like it" responded Lireesa.

"You have to show me one day how you manage to make every meal perfect"

"Well, there is nothing extraordinary I do. I only prepare the food, that's it. I don't use magic or special ingredients. I'm not doing it differently than others" explained her mother.

"Nevertheless, you are far better than the best cooks in Silvermoon City. I have eaten in a lot of noble restaurants where the best cooks of Silvermoon are working. Believe me when I tell you that none of them is as good as you are" complimented Sylvanas.

"Thank you, my dear" responded Lireesa. She blushed a little but didn't avert eye contact, neither did Sylvanas. They stared at each other for a while, not saying anything else. There was a pleasant silence in the room and nobody dared to break it.

Sylvanas' father joined them after a while, taking a seat next to his beloved wife. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to place a kiss on her left cheek. Lireesa giggled, snuggling closer to him. Sylvanas regarded them while having a smile on her lips. It amazed her from day to day anew that they still loved each other after such a long time. Their relationship had begun three hundred years ago but they still act as if it was the very first day where they had fallen in love with the other.

Sylvanas was glad that their love hadn't faded and that it seemed they will never stop loving each other. Sylvanas was hoping that her relationship with Kelrian will be like the relationship of her parents. She was hoping that her love for Kelrian will never fade. She couldn't imagine her life without him and she was pretty sure he was feeling the same.

Kelrian made her happy. She was already happy when he was only around her. Being near him, speaking to him and spending time with him made her very happy. She wanted to be together with him for the rest of her long-lasting life. She was also hoping that his love for her wouldn't fade. She didn't want to imagine him with another woman. She had to be careful that no other woman would try to get what was hers. Other women like Elena, who had already told Kelrian how she felt about him. Sylvanas couldn't do much to prevent that other women would get interested in Kelrian. She could only hope that he would do the right thing. She trusted him, she knew him pretty well so she knew he would never cheat on her or leave her for another woman.

Sylvanas was brought out of her thoughts by her father who had cleared his throat to get her attention. She looked at him, regarding him closely. He was wearing a decorated blue jacket and matching trousers. His shoes were made by the best shoemaker in Silvermoon City. Overall, his outfit was very expensive. His blond hair was cut quite short, making him look good.

Unlike Sylvanas' mother and the rest of their family, he was not a ranger. He was a very influential businessman. As far as Sylvanas knew, he hadn't been born with a golden spoon in his mouth, instead, he had come from a very poor background **.** Sylvanas didn't know much about his past, she only knew that he had managed to earn enough money by selling things to buy a piece of land where he had found a hidden mine. He had found precious gems in the mine which he had sold for a massive amount of money. He had used this money to found his first commercial business. In the end, he had become more and more successful over time.

These days he had several manufacturing companies which were very successful. Because of his success, the Windrunner family had a huge manor known as Windrunner Spire and their own village. Windrunner Village was one of the largest villages south of Silvermoon City. Almost three hundred inhabitants lived there along with twenty guards who made sure that no intruders, like bandits, orcs or trolls, would harm the inhabitants.

Sylvanas knew that her father strived for more success and influence. That was the reason why he wanted her to marry Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider. Of course, he couldn't force her to marry him, even though he wanted to get more influence so badly. He could only try to convince Sylvanas to marry the prince. But Sylvanas would never do that voluntarily so her father had tried to make deals with her but Sylvanas had always refused.

She was hoping that he would spare her today and wouldn't talk to her about that topic, at least not when the rest of the family was around. It was very rare that all members of the Windrunner family were gathered in the same room at the same time. Sylvanas and Alleria only visited their home at the weekends. They still had their rooms in the house but their main residences were in Silvermoon City. Only Vereesa and Lirath still lived with their parents because they were minors. Vereesa would reach adulthood in seven years so she could move out if she wanted but Sylvanas knew that she would stay longer in Windrunner Spire. Every child of the Windrunner family was allowed to live in the Spire as long as they wanted.

Sylvanas' mother was hoping that Lirath and Vereesa would stay in the house as long as possible. She would feel pretty lonely otherwise. Her husband was working most of the day and her oldest children were working as well. She understood that because their positions were really was responsible for the safety of the inhabitants of Quel'Thalas and Alleria was doing her best to support her. Unlike Sylvanas and Alleria, Vereesa was not working twelve hours a day so she had more free time she could spend with her parents and her younger brother.

Sylvanas remained silent longer than necessary but then she spoke eventually. "Welcome back father, it's good to see you. How have you been doing?"

"Work was exhausting but other than that I'm fine" he responded, shoving a potato in his mouth. "What about you, Sylvie?"

"Well, I have only done some paperwork so far so I can't say that it exhausted me. But I'm going to take Vereesa and some of my rangers on patrol later, so we will have lots of _fun_ there"

Her father laughed. "I remember you telling me dozens of times that patrolling and doing paperwork are the most boring tasks a ranger can do"

"That's true but someone has to do it. There are lots of teams who patrol every day and every night and they don't complain. They know that these patrols are necessary to detect invaders as soon as possible"

"Makes sense" responded her father, taking a bite from the chicken leg he was holding.

"When will you return?" asked her mother. Sylvanas looked at Vereesa who was also giving her a curious look, then she looked at her mother.

"If we start in one and a half hour, we should return at half-past ten"

"So, the poor girl is going to work eight and a half hours today?" asked Lireesa, looking at her youngest daughter and then at her middle daughter.

"I've worked for ten hours every day, six days a week when I was at her age. Eight and a half hours are nothing compared this"

"You know I've never asked you to work so long back then I was Ranger-General" mentioned Lireesa.

"I know but you had more rangers back then. We lost countless over the past few decades because of orc and troll attacks. We have less available rangers and recruits than we had when you were Ranger-General. This means that a lot more rangers have to do additional shifts to cover-up every sector. We need more people who patrol every day and every night, we need more instructors, we need more hunters who hunt food so we can feed every citizen of Quel'Thalas, we need more bowyers and more armourers. Overall, we need more people in every sector, not only in the military sector.

But we don't have that many people so our rangers have to work longer than usual. I wish it would be different but we have no other choice than biting into the sour apple and work up to fourteen hours a day if it's necessary. I give my best to reduce the time Vereesa has work every day. Most of the times she only has to work for six hours but someday even she has to work for nine or ten hours if it's necessary. I can't make an exception in her case, not always at least" explained Sylvanas, staring into her mother's eyes.

"It's okay, mother" spoke Vereesa, putting her hands on her mother's. Lireesa looked at her youngest daughter, returning her smile before she looked in the determined face the Ranger-General was making.

"Fourteen hours? That's pretty hard" statemented her father.

"It doesn't happen very often, only when some of my captains or lieutenants are not doing their work correctly or when too many people have gotten sick. I can't just say that it's not my problem if my subordinates aren't able to finish their tasks in time because, in the end, it's my problem. The king will have my head when he finds out that a group of trolls breaks through an area which should have been patrolled by enough groups. I can't allow that innocents die because my subordinates do mistakes or are not there where they are supposed to be. Being the Ranger-General is a rock-hard job and it has become harder over the past thirty years"

"I'm sorry to hear that, my dear" spoke her father, giving her a comforting smile. She returned his smile, then she looked at her mother who was smiling at her as well. Lireesa leaned over and put her hands on Sylvanas' cheeks, caressing them softly. "I knew that you would be the right choice as my successor. Originally, I have wanted Alleria to take my place but she has refused. You are as good as your sister when it comes to combat skill and experience but it seems that you know better how to handle stress. I don't believe Alleria would have held out very long if she would have had the same amount of stress you have to endure every day"

"Maybe, maybe not. Who knows" said Alleria as she wrapped her arm around Sylvanas' shoulders and pulled her closer.

"Stop it, Alleria. You know I don't like to be hugged. Not by you at least"

"Ah, come on. I know you love my hugs" replied Alleria as she pulled Sylvanas closer until their bodies were pressed together. She wrapped her arms around her sister's upper body, not caring that Sylvanas' face was pressed against her bosom as she caressed her back. She ran her fingers through Sylvanas' hair, ruining her hairstyle a bit. It didn't matter at all because Sylvanas looked perfect even with tousled hair.

Sylvanas managed to free herself, looking at her older sister with narrowed eyes. "Quite funny" muttered Sylvanas, ignoring her laughing family as best as she could. But she couldn't be mad at her sister forever, so she relaxed and playfully patted her sister's shoulder. She looked at Alleria for a few moments, ignoring her mocking grin, then she turned to Vereesa and Lirath. "Don't you dare to try the same. I will throw you into the nearest lake if you try it"

Sylvanas chuckled when she saw the anxious faces of her younger siblings but they relaxed as soon as they had realized that Sylvanas was not serious about this. Like Alleria, she loved to mock and tease her siblings from time to time. Most of the times, they didn't dare to say something in return. Only sometimes, Vereesa tried to counter Sylvanas' teasing. Sometimes it worked,sometimes it didn't **.**

Her family was very important for Sylvanas. She loved every single member of it. Even Alleria who teased her often. Even though she was the Ranger-General and Alleria was only a Ranger-Captain, she still looked up to her. Despite their ranks, Alleria was her older sister. She still had enough tips and tricks up in her sleeves which could help Sylvanas from time to time. Alleria had more experience than her because she was forty years even Sylvanas learned a thing or two from her sister. But that didn't happen very often because she knew most of the important things she had to know as a ranger.

Sylvanas' mother was also her role model. She had told her everything she knew and made her to the next Ranger-General. She had made sure that Sylvanas will be a worthy successor. Sylvanas admired her and she hoped she would never fail her and always make her proud of her. She also wanted to impress her father even though he had no clue what a ranger must endure to become successful and respected. He didn't know much about the work of the Farstriders but had heard enough of Sylvanas' achievements to be proud of her.

Sylvanas also loved to spend time with her younger siblings. She helped Vereesa becoming a better ranger and she trained Lirath whenever she had the time. He also wanted to become a ranger, so he trained every day. Sylvanas supported him whenever she could. Because of her training, he had gotten a lot better over the past years. She was pretty sure he would make it through the examination in thirteen years. He was a Windrunner after all.

Lireesa was the first female Windrunner who had been better than every other ranger. Her children had the same potential. Lireesa was sure all of her children will surpass her one day. Sylvanas and Alleria were already better than her, only Vereesa and Lirath needed more time to become better. But they will reach their mother's level sooner or later. She was pretty sure about that.


	17. Patrol

"Don't dawdle, little moon" said Sylvanas. She stopped in the middle of the path and turned around to regard her sister who was about thirty feet behind her. The younger Windrunner was walking as fast as she could but she couldn't keep up with Sylvanas who was rushing through the streets as if she was attending a race.

"I'm not dawdling, you are just too fast" complained Vereesa. She reached Sylvanas eventually, stopping next to her to take a long breath. She needed a few moments until she was able to able to continue moving. Sylvanas' head was tilted, an eyebrow was raised as she regarded her little sister. "How can you be out of breath when you have only walked for half an hour?"

"Walk? We didn't walk. We ran very fast. The last time I have run so fast was when a group of lynxes have chased me. I don't know why you want to arrive at the patrol's starting point so early. We have to reach it in half an hour which we will manage easily. But you ran so fast that we have almost reached it within half of the predetermined time. We have no reason to be in such a hurry"

Sylvanas remained silent as she scrutinized her sister from head to toe. Her sister was right about everything she had said. They will arrive at their destination a lot earlier than they had planned. They didn't need to be there that early because the others wouldn't be there earlier either. Nevertheless, Sylvanas wanted to be there earlier than the others for a reason she couldn't explain to herself. Maybe she was hoping that Kelrian would arrive earlier as well so she could talk to him. Maybe she was hoping she could touch him and kiss him if they would go deep in the forest or in a small cavern where nobody could see them. Maybe she just wanted to have him near, so she could look at him from time to time.

Sylvanas knew that Kelrian was a very punctual person, often he was ten minutes or fifteen minutes earlier than expected. Sometimes he was even half an hour earlier. Sylvanas was hoping that he was also over-punctual this time.

Indeed, he was. He arrived ten minutes earlier at the meeting point, which was a bridge. The bridge allowed people to walk over the river which flew in the near of Windrunner Village.

The river was wide and very deep, meaning people should be careful and always use the bridge to cross it. It was unwise to not use the bridge and swim through the river, especially because the current was stronger than it looked like. The inhabitants of the nearest villages told stories about children who had gotten caught by the current and had been taken away by it. According to these stories, they had never been seen again. Sylvanas didn't believe such stories but she didn't put it on the test. If she wanted to swim, she would go to the nearest beach or lake and not in this mysterious river.

Sylvanas looked at Kelrian, waving at him. Kelrian mimicked her actions, ignoring his companion who was rolling his eyes. Zetai knew Kelrian for five years so he had noticed that he was behaving differently whenever Sylvanas was around. He may have noticed that but he wasn't able to interpret something out of it. He had no clue what was going on between his best friend and the Ranger-General. Kelrian had never told him anything about his relationship with Sylvanas. The only persons who knew about the relationship were Verena and Liadrin. No one else knew a single thing about them.

Sylvanas' smile became wider as the two males came closer to them, stopping in front of them eventually. She didn't hesitate to stretch her arm out, offering them her left hand. Kelrian didn't hesitate to shake her hand, nor did Zetai. They stared at their general for a few moments before their gazes shifted to the smaller woman with the silver-coloured hair. They scrutinized her for a few moments before they looked back at their superior.

"It's nice to meet you, Ranger-General. Would you give us the honour to introduce us to this young woman?"

Sylvanas smiled. "Of course I would. This is my sister Vereesa. Vereesa, these are Kelrian and Zetai, the best rangers of the current generation"

"It's an honour for us to meet you, Lady Vereesa" Kelrian and Zetai said at the same time.

Sylvanas chuckled. "She is not a lady, nor am I. We belong to a famous family but that doesn't mean we have royal blood in our veins. You two have are rangers now so you are allowed to call my sister by her first name, same counts for every other ranger who has the same rank as you. Just ask the lieutenants and captains first if you are allowed to call them by their first names. Some of them may allow you to use their first names"

"As you wish, Ranger-General" spoke Kelrian.

Sylvanas had a small smile on her lips as she regarded him. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that her sister had turned to her and regarded her with a curious look on her face. Sylvanas looked at her sister, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

"Nothing" muttered Vereesa as she turned back to the male rangers who were giving her curious looks. Vereesa hesitated for a few moments but then she extended her arm and shook hands with the other rangers. She was curious to meet the two rangers Sylvanas had rhapsodised about whenever she had been home. Sylvanas had told her a lot about these two, especially how good they were at fighting, shooting and following traces. According to her, they were good at basically everything. Sylvanas was not the person who was exaggerating when talking about something, nevertheless, Vereesa wanted to find out if what she had said was true.

"It's nice to meet you" she said eventually, smiling when they said the same in return. She scrutinized them for a few moments before she turned back to her sister who was looking in the opposite direction. Vereesa turned around, wondering at what Sylvanas was looking. The corners of her lips formed a smile when she recognized a familiar person on the other side of the bridge. The person passed the bridge quickly, shaking Sylvanas' hand.

"I'm glad you made it in time, Velon" said Sylvanas, giving him a small smile.

"I have promised you that I will never be late, Ranger-General" he responded, staring into her eyes longer than necessary. Then he turned to Vereesa, pulling his close friend in a quick but tight hug. "It has been a long time since we have seen each other" replied Vereesa after he had let her go.

"Indeed, it has. Sorry about that" he responded, rubbing the back of his head. He ran his fingers through his bluish dyed hair, putting a strand of it behind his left ear. He regarded Vereesa for a few moments before he turned to Kelrian and Zetai. Both rangers regarded him closely, noticing the insignias which were attached to the chest area of his uniform. He was a Ranger-Captain.

Kelrian remembered that he had seen him on the day of his first entrance examination. Velon had had blond hair back then and had been a lieutenant and not a captain. This could only mean that Velon had proved himself worthy. Kelrian had heard that getting promoted was not easy. Sylvanas only chose the best of the best to become lieutenants or captains. This meant that Velon belonged to the best of the best. He had the same rank as Sylvanas' older sister while Kelrian and Zetai had the same rank as her younger sister.

"Congratulations to your promotion" said Zetai.

"Thank you" responded Velon, smiling at him. "Then I have to congratulate you to make it in the Ranger-General's elite team. I have never heard of a recruit who made it in the Ranger-General's group directly after passing the final exam. Also, it had never happened before that two joined her team at the same time. I have heard a lot about you, only positives things of course. I'm curious if you are as good as our Ranger-General praises"

"I'm only praising those who deserve it and these two deserve it more than everyone else" told Sylvanas.

Velon looked at her for a few moments, then he looked back at Kelrian and Zetai. "I believe you"

Sylvanas gave him a small smile "Good"

"Are there any other rangers joining us today?"

"Keith is the only ranger who is missing, I guess he will arrive a few minutes too late" answered Sylvanas.

Velon rubbed his forehead, shaking his head slightly. "He always comes too late. I have to talk to him one day about the importance of punctuality"

"You better do that as soon as possible"

He smirked. "I will. Don't worry about that"

"Good" she said, nodding towards Zetai and Kelrian. "Would you tell them everything they need to know?"

Velon nodded to her, then he turned his head and looked at the two male rangers. "The most important thing, you have to do while being on a patrol, is to keep your eyes open"

Soft laughter escaped Zetai's lips.

Velon tilted his head, a frown appeared on his forehead. "I'm not joking about this. Many rangers often forget the simplest and most important thing. You only have to keep your eyes open and watch over your surroundings carefully. It might be boring to walk for hours and do nothing except for checking the surroundingsbut it's necessary for the safety of our people.

We have to make sure that no enemy is sneaking around in our lands. We have to detect all enemies before they manage to get close to our civilians. We can't allow that innocents get harmed because we weren't paying enough attention **.** We must always remain focused, no matter how boring our tasks are. Otherwise, the lives of the innocents will be endangered. Do you understand that?" His voice had been much louder and sounded much stricter at the end of the speech.

Zetai's smile had vanished from his face, instead, a neutral expression was visible on his just looked at Captain Velon, giving him a nod. Velon's gaze shifted to Kelrian. "Yes, sir" he responded.

"Good" Velon muttered as he turned around to look at Sylvanas and Vereesa. Sylvanas gave him an appreciating nod before she looked at Kelrian, giving him a small smile. The smile was barely recognizable but Kelrian still noticed it. He didn't smile back, he just nodded to her and stared into her gorgeous eyes for a few moments. Sylvanas returned his staring, then she averted her gaze and turned so she could see the bridge right in front of her. On the other side stood a ranger, who was waving at them.

A quiet sigh escaped Sylvanas' lips as she recognized who it was. She pulled her pocket watch out of her belt pocket, checking the time. The ranger was five minutes late. She signalized him to come to them, she even greeted him with a handshake but she didn't comment his unpunctuality. The look she was giving him told everyone that she was disappointed in him **.** A bit at most unimportant **.** The ranger looked at Captain Velon who shook his head slightly.

The ranger didn't manage to hide his embarrassment nor did he manage to hide that he was ashamed of himself. A quiet sigh escaped Sylvanas' lips. "Now we only have to wait until our healer arrives, then we can start"

"Why do we need a healer? I thought we are just patrolling" asked Kelrian.

"We are but it is always good to have a healer with you. Remember the incident two and a half years ago. Since that day I have decided that every group needs a healer, even if they are _just_ patrolling. It's never bad to have a healer at your side, especially during patrols. It's not impossible that orcs, trolls or bandit could invade our lands and attack us. People might get badly wounded and require a healer immediately. Without healers we will lose too many good rangers" explained Sylvanas.

"Make sense" responded Kelrian.

Zetai sighed. "So, we wait until the healer arrives?"

Sylvanas nodded at him.

"Fine"

The healer arrived five minutes later. It turned out that it was no other than Kelrian's cousin. Liadrin lowered her head in respect, greeting Sylvanas first then she greeted the rest.

"You are a bit earlier than expected" said Vereesa.

"Yeah, I thought the earlier I arrive, the earlier we can start and get home. Also, I have expected that you wouldn't need that long to explain to them everything they need to know. It seems that I was right, wasn't I?"

"Yes, you were. We have already explained everything to them"

"Good" responded Liadrin, looking at the younger Windrunner for a few moments before she looked at her cousin, giving him a small smile. Kelrian returned her smile, nodding to her. Then Liadrin looked at Sylvanas. "I'm ready"

"We can start with our patrol then. Ranger-Captain Velon, Ranger Keith and I will go ahead while Liadrin, Zetai and Kelrian will follow us with a distance of thirty feet" Sylvanas turned her head, looking at Kelrian and Zetai. "My sister will walk with you and make sure you won't talk too much and focus on the surroundings instead. Do you have any questions?"

Kelrian raised his hand.

"Yeah?"

"How long will we walk?"

"An average patrol lasts for six to eight hours. The longest patrols last about ten hours but we won't do such a long patrol today. Our patrol should be over after about eight hours which means you have no other tasks today" explained Sylvanas. Kelrian nodded to her, signalizing that he had no more questions. She looked at Zetai, finding out that he had no more questions either.

She smiled. "Let's go then" she announced as she stepped on the bridge and began to walk over it. The others didn't hesitate to follow her. Velon, Vereesa, Liadrin and even Keith already knew this route so they knew where Sylvanas was leading them. Zetai and Kelrian, on the other hand, had no clue to which position they were walking first. They could only try to find out by scrutinizing their surroundings closely. They did that while following, also they concentrated on the sounds they were hearing. They heard the footsteps of their companions but they also heard the footsteps of smaller creatures. Sometimes they even spotted a rabbit or a deer in the far. Sometimes, they met travellers which footsteps they had heard before they had seen them.

They didn't notice anything remarkable during the first three hours. The main road, they had followed, was safe. They walked to the next crossroad, taking one of the side paths which led away from the main road. The side path wasn't plastered with cobblestones, it was more like a larger version of a desire path. The ground was muddy, causing that the group needed longer to travel the distance. Their shoes got dirty and they left footprints in the ground, which meant that someone could follow them if that person would know how to follow traces.

She was pretty sure that they would able to handle intruders as long as they weren't too many. Of course, Sylvanas knew better than anyone that she shouldn't underestimate their enemies no matter who they would be. It could be possible that intruders could hide somewhere and plan a surprise attack. Everything could be possible but Sylvanas and her group were well prepared. They were prepared for everything and their reactions were good enough so they could even deal with a surprise attack. They only needed to notice what was coming for them to react quickly, that was the reason why every single member of this group checked the surroundings over and over again with each step they made. They wanted to be prepared for everything.

They were prepared for everything but nothing happened in the next hour. They had followed this desire path, spotted a few animals but other than that they hadn't seen anything. They had seen nothing remarkable, which was a good sign. Being only able to check the surroundings during patrols might be boring but it was better than getting into unnecessary trouble. Sylvanas was an untainted fighter, one of the bests of her race, so she had no problem handling any opponent. Nevertheless, she preferred a quiet shift where nothing unusual happened over an unnecessary skirmish with trolls, orcs or bandits. She didn't want to endanger the lives of her subordinates, as long as it wasn't necessary. So, she was glad that nothing had happened within the first four hours.

The group came to a small village after another half an hour where nothing had happened. They were greeted by the villagers and greeted them in return as they followed the village's only road which led them to the small market square on which only a few trading stalls were standing. It was already six o'clock in the evening so it was understandable that not many villagers were outside.

The group didn't waste much time on the market on which various products were offered. They walked to the inn which was on the opposite side of the market. They entered the inn, noticing that not many guests were inside. The guests lowered their heads in respect as they greeted Sylvanas and her followers **.** They greeted them in return, walking to a large table in the inn's left corner.

"We have an hour before we will set off. You can do whatever you want within that hour but have to be here on time" told Sylvanas as she sat down on a chair. Kelrian sat down to her left while Vereesa took a seat to her sister's right. Zetai and Liadrin sat down opposite to them, only Velon and Keith didn't take a seat at the table. They told them that they weren't hungry at all so they wanted to use the time to regard the village and the offerings on the market. Sylvanas nodded to them, then she signalized the only waitress to get over to them.

The woman in the green dress came over to them. She was pretty cute and had naturally brown hair which reached to half of her back. It was unmistakable that she had a thin layer of make-up on her face even though she didn't need it because she was a natural beauty, like all high elves. Her lips were covered by dark-red lipstick, her jaw moved frequently as if she was chewing on something. Maybe a bubble gum or something else.

She had a bored look on her face even though one of her guests was the Ranger-General herself. It didn't seem that Sylvanas' presence interested the waitress at all. Maybe she didn't recognize her or she didn't care at all, for whatever reason. Her behaviour made her a bit suspicious but Sylvanas didn't approach the waitress about her slightly disrespectful behaviour.

"Yeah?" asked the waitress, her voice reflected her boredom even better than the look on her face.

"We want to order something" said Sylvanas, hoping to lighten up the waitress' mood by smiling at her. It didn't work at all. Sylvanas' frowned, wondering why it didn't work. Normally, she could brighten up everyone's mood with only a simple smile. But not in this case. The waitress remained unimpressed and bored.

She didn't respond at first, rudely staring at Sylvanas. Her gaze wandered from her face to her breasts, resting there longer than necessary before it wandered back to her face.

Sylvanas saw out of the corner of her eyes that Vereesa wanted to jump up and tell the waitress to give Sylvanas the necessary respect she deserved. She put her hand on Vereesa's left upper thigh, signalizing her that she should do nothing. The fury vanished out of Vereesa's eyes as she saw Sylvanas' barely recognizable smile. A quiet sigh escaped Vereesa's lips as she leaned back, shaking her head in disbelief. She couldn't believe that her sister was tolerating this. She would have already reprimanded the woman if she were Sylvanas.

Sylvanas was the Ranger-General after all. She gave her best to make sure that every citizen of Quel'Thalas could live in peace without needing to be fear that trolls, orcs or bandits would attack them. It was only natural that the people would show Sylvanas the necessary loved Sylvanas and everyone cheered whenever they saw her. Everyone but this woman who didn't care that the second most popular woman in Quel'Thalas was her costumer.

The waitress, who was still standing in front of Sylvanas, hadn't said anything so far. She was blowing a chewing gum bubble while she continued to stare at the Ranger-General. Even if Sylvanas wouldn't be the Ranger-General, the waitress' behaviour was still unacceptable. It was very rude to not to respond to the Ranger-General, also was it rude to behave like that. Everyone wanted to remind the waitress who she was and who Sylvanas was but nobody dared because Sylvanas had signalized them to stay calm.

Sylvanas tilted her head, regarding the waitress from head to toe once again. She repeated her question, this time the waitress showed a reaction. "What'cha want?" she said, not caring that she had just responded in slang. She had used slang to respond to a famous person like Sylvanas and she didn't care about that. She didn't seem to care what others were thinking about her.

"Do you know who I am?" Sylvanas asked eventually. Everyone was surprised that she was still polite even though the waitress had insulted her with her misbehaviour and her disrespectfulness.

"You are the Ranger-General, right?"

Sylvanas nodded. "Yes, I am"

"So?"

Sylvanas didn't stop giving the woman a barely recognizable smile. "Don't you think that you have to behave differently in my presence? Not because I'm the Ranger-General but because I am a customer in the inn where you it normal that costumers are treated like this in this inn?" she asked, letting her gaze wander through the room. She noticed that the other costumers were having shocked expressions on their faces. Just like the owner of the inn, who had entered the room a moment ago.

The owner was a man with short black hair who was wearing brown trousers and a green tunic. His eyes were widened in shock and his mouth was widely opened. He rushed over to the waitress in no time, grabbing her by the arm. He whispered something to her. His voice was so low that only Sylvanas could understand some words, which she interpreted as insults.

Sylvanas tilted her head, frowning at him. He whispered another insult to the waitress, pushing her away so she nearly fell onto the floor. Kelrian stood up and caught her, preventing that she would land on the floor. He did that even though she had insulted his lover. He was a good guy, so he didn't want anyone to get hurt. She might have deserved to fall and get hurt but he was not an asshole who would only watch and doing nothing instead of helping her. Not like her **.**

"I'm so sorry, Ranger-General. I don't know what is going on in my waitress' mind. Normally, she doesn't behave like this. I swear" the owner said, lowering his hands to signalize that he was really sorry.

"I believe you" responded Sylvanas, giving him a soothing smile.

"Can I do anything to apologize for her behaviour?" he asked, regarding her with pleading eyes.

"I think there is something you can do"

"Tell me and I will do everything in my power"

"My companions and I are really hungry, so we would appreciate if you could serve us something which could satisfy our hunger"

"Of course, Ranger-General. Whatever you eat or drink today is on the house"

Sylvanas smiled. "That's good to hear"

"So, what do you want to eat and drink?" he asked.

Sylvanas let her companions tell him what they wanted, then she told him what she wanted. The owner nodded to her, telling her that she will get everything as soon as possible. He lowered his head in respect, turned around and grabbed the waitress forcefully by the arm. Sylvanas noticed that he didn't seem to care that he was inflicting pain to her as he dragged her away. He dragged her through the door behind the bar which led to the kitchen. Sylvanas regarded the door for a few moments before she turned around to look at her companions.

All of them were silent because they didn't know what to say.

"Am I the only one who thinks that something is wrong about this entire situation?" she asked after she had scrutinized her companions' faces closely.

"Everything is suspicious to me" spoke Liadrin

Sylvanas turned her head, looking at her. "What you mean?"

"I have visited this village very often in the past. I know this woman. She is a good friend of mine. Normally, she is a very polite and quiet person. She has never caused trouble before nor has she behaved like this in front of a stranger or a popular person. Something is not quite right but I have no idea what is going on"

" This is very suspicious indeed" said Sylvanas, caressing her chin with her left hand.

Kelrian also told what he was thinking. "I understand that the owner is angry at her but this doesn't justify that he has pushed her away and caused pain to her. No matter what she has done, he is allowed to be so violent with her. He didn't care if she would have fallen to the floor as he has pushed her. She could have gotten seriously hurt if her head would have hit the floor. Something must be going on between them but I'm not sure if we should interfere"

Sylvanas made a thoughtful face. She remained silent for a few minutes, so did the others. Sylvanas turned to her sister eventually, giving her a curious look. "What do you think, little moon?"

"Hmm... I'm not sure. Something tells me to stop thinking about them but, on the other hand, I don't want to imagine what the man would do to her in his anger. The chances are pretty high that he might hit her"

"We cannot allow that" muttered Sylvanas. She looked at Kelrian and Zetai, receiving agreeing nods from her. She looked at Liadrin who nodded at her as well.

She pointed at everyone except Kelrian "You will keep sitting here. Kelrian and I will investigate this"

Vereesa frowned. "What are you going to do?"

Sylvanas stood up, not answering her question. "Trust me, I will find out what is going on here. Come, Kelrian"

"As you wish, Ranger-General" he said as he got up and followed her to the bar. Sylvanas turned her head, checking if someone was watching them. She noticed that the other guests were busy with eating or talking, meaning nobody paid attention to them. She looked at Kelrian, receiving a small nod from him. Sylvanas jumped over the bar, landing behind it without making a sound. Kelrian didn't need long to get in there as well.

Sylvanas checked her surroundings again, finding out that nobody was minding that they were standing behind the bar, where only staff members were allowed to be. She didn't hesitate to walk over to the door through which the owner had dragged the waitress. She pressed her left ear against the door, hoping she could hear something. Kelrian did the same, smiling at her as their gazes met. Sylvanas was also smiling but her smile faded when they heard a loud scream coming from the other side of the door.


	18. A New Investigation

The two rangers didn't hesitate to open the door, entering the room as fast as possible. Kelrian's eyes widened as he realized what was going on there. The waitress huddled up in a corner while the owner was standing not far away from her, his facial expression reflected anger. It was unmistakable that the waitress was scared. Her face was white as chalk, her nose bloody. The blood on the knuckles of the inn owner's left fist made Kelrian suspect that he had punched her.

Sylvanas cleared her throat, causing the man to turn to her. His eyes widened but his anger didn't fade. His eyes narrowed then, his look became really dangerous and fearsome but neither Sylvanas nor Kelrian were intimidated by him. They had faced dangerous beasts in the past so a very angry high elf didn't scare them in the slightest.

"What is going on here?" asked Kelrian, trying to calm the owner down somehow. It didn't work at all.

"That's none of your business" the man responded in a low but dangerous sounding voice.

"You are hurting a citizen of Quel'Thalas, so it's our business. Not to mention that she is defenceless and a woman as well. Explain yourself or things won't end well for you" spoke Sylvanas, her voice was strict, the same counted for her facial expression.

"She deserves it" shouted the owner.

"She may have been very disrespectful to me but that doesn't justify that you can hit her. First of all, she is your employee and she is a defenceless woman. You have no right to hit her, no matter what she has done"

"I told you that this is none of your business. She is MY employee, not yours. I can do whatever I want with her" he shouted.

Sylvanas crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I don't think so"

"Leave my inn NOW"

"We will stay" spoke Kelrian, holding his gaze on the man whose facial expression had changed. His eyes narrowed to thin lines, a frown appeared on his forehead and he started to bite his bottom lip very hard. He gave Kelrian and Sylvanas the impression that he was about to lose control and do something stupid as he clenched his fists.

"I'm calling the guards if you don't leave now" he shouted louder than before.

Laughter escaped Sylvanas' lips.

"What is so funny?" his voice sounded very hysterically.

"To who you think the guards are subordinated to? You can call for as many guards as you want but none of them will do anything unless I tell them to" explained Sylvanas. She didn't smirk nor did she give him a provocative look. She just looked at him with a neutral expression on her face, hoping that he will calm down eventually. Unfortunately, he didn't.

Sylvanas didn't know what was going on in the man's mind. She had never seen a man before who was so angry at her, at least not a man of her people. No sane high elf would behave like this in front of the Ranger-General. The inn's owner and the waitress had behaved very weirdly. Something was wrong with them. Sylvanas had an assumption but she didn't want to leap to hasty conclusions without clues which could prove her looked at Kelrian, quietly asking him if he was ready to intervene if needed. He gave her a quick nod, then he focused on the inn owner who was still standing on the same spot.

"Calm down" spoke Sylvanas with a soothing voice.

The man didn't respond to her, he only looked at her with the same dangerous expression on his face. "Something is wrong with this guy. He acts very strangely" Sylvanas whispered to Kelrian.

"What shall we do?" Kelrian kept his voice quiet enough so that only Sylvanas could hear him.

"We can only be patient and try to reach him"

Kelrian nodded to her but didn't say anything in response. He looked back at the man, scrutinizing him. The man was muttering something as he stared at the floor. It was too quiet so neither Sylvanas nor Kelrian could understand it. From their perspective, it seemed that he was talking to himself.

The man looked up suddenly, his gaze fell on the waitress. It seemed that he was having an outburst of anger as he rushed to the waitress, pulling her up in the air. He pushed her hard against the wall, ignoring the loud pained cry which escaped her lips. He pressed her against the wall but he couldn't inflict more pain to her because Kelrian reached him within a few seconds and pulled him away. The man managed to prevent that Kelrian could turn him around and press him against the wall. He turned around and tried to hit Kelrian with a swinging blow but the ranger foresaw his attack and dodged it easily.

The man attacked him again but Sylvanas prevented that. She rammed him, sending him on the floor. She sat on his back before he even realized what had happened. She pressed her knee in his back, pinning him on the floor. She turned her head, giving Kelrian a signal. He nodded in return, rushing to the scared waitress. He kneeled next to her, speaking to her with a soothing voice. He assured her that everything was fine and that the man wouldn't hurt her again. She didn't believe him at first but the longer he talked to her, the more convinced she got **.**

She gave him her hand, allowing him to help her up. He wrapped his arm around her waist, making sure that she stood steady on her feet. He pulled a handkerchief out of his belt pocket, giving it to her. She thanked him quietly, pressing the handkerchief on her broken nose.

Kelrian brought her to the nearest chair, helping her to sit down then he shifted his gaze to Sylvanas who had tied the man's hands and legs together. He wouldn't be able to stand up and ran away so Sylvanas could allow herself to get up and step away from him. She turned her head, giving Kelrian a small smile.

"You have done pretty well, Kel"

"Thank you, Ranger-General. What are we doing with him?"

"We will arrest him at first, then we will see what we will do with him. He behaved strangely, very strangely. Something must be wrong with him and we have to find out what" explained Sylvanas, making a thoughtful face.

"What do you have in mind?" Kelrian asked curiously.

"Liadrin should check him, maybe we bring him to the doctors"

Kelrian frowned. "How can the doctors help us?"

"I've heard of special poisons, herbs or substances which can cause a person to freak out completely. Maybe it explains why he was so aggressive"

"You think he is high? Do you think he has consumed drugs?"

"Maybe not drugs. Maybe he just put the wrong herb in his tea, who knows. We have to find out what happened to him. There must be a logical explanation for his behaviour" she said, pointing at the man. Kelrian turned his head, regarding him. He may not be able to shout because Sylvanas had put a gag in his mouth but he was still able to wriggle. He tried to get free but the ties were too tight. He will never be able to wriggle out of them because it had been Sylvanas who had tied his limbs together.

Sylvanas told Kelrian to stay here before she walked out of the room. She was not absent for too long, returning half a minute later with her sister and Liadrin. They regarded the scene for a few moments, then they acted without needing to receive orders. Liadrin went to the waitress, touching the broken nose with the tips of her fingers. A quiet whimper escaped the waitress' lips but other than that she didn't say a word or make any sound. Liadrin closed her eyes, starting to heal the nose with the help of the light.

In the meantime, Kelrian and Vereesa had pulled the man up. Sylvanas had removed the ties which had bound his legs together so the man could walk. He didn't do it voluntarily at the start but after a few harsh words and one or another threat he had decided to do as Sylvanas demanded **.** Kelrian and Vereesa brought him out of the room while Sylvanas and Liadrin remained in the room which seemed to be an anteroom of the kitchen.

Liadrin looked at Sylvanas, raising an eyebrow. "What is going on?"

Sylvanas explained quickly what happened. Liadrin frowned as she regarded the waitress. "I don't think we will get any useful information out of her. At least not now. She is too shocked. We need to try it later but first, she needs some rest.

"We will give her the rest she needs, then we will find out what is going on here" told Sylvanas.

"I have an assumption" mentioned Liadrin. "I don't know if the theory with the substance is right but if it's right, I think Janelliena is also affected by it. I've never seen her behave so disrespectful to an authority figure. She was not herself, you have to believe me"

"I do believe you. We will find out what is fishy in this case"

Liadrin gave her a thankful nod.

"Let's go to the others" said Sylvanas as she walked over to Janelliena and helped her to get up. Together with Liadrin she supported the smaller woman and left the kitchen with her.

* * *

Sylvanas walked through the room, stopping next to the person who leaned against a wall and stared at the opposite wall. She looked around, making sure no one else was in the room before she put her hand under the man's chin. "Is something wrong, Kel?" she asked as she turned her lover's chin so that he had no other choice but to look at her.

A loud sigh escaped Kelrian's lips. "We are investigating this new case for three days but we didn't get any results yet. All clues have led us to a dead end"

She caressed his left cheek, telling him to not lose hope. "I understand that it's frustrating to work hard and harder without achieving results. But you have to hang on there if you want to find out what happened to the waitress and the inn's owner"

"Silvermoon's best alchemists have examined the pills we have found in the waitress' house. We have found the same pills in the pockets of the inn owner's trousers"

Sylvanas gave him a curious look "What do the alchemists say?"

"It seems to be a mix of very addictive substances"

"Like some sort of a drug?"

"Probably"

Sylvanas sighed, closing her eyes for a moment as she shook her head. "This is not good"

Kelrian put his hand on her shoulder, rubbing it softly. His gaze found hers, his lips formed a small smile. "We will find a way to get rid of this problem"

"We have to. I don't want to imagine what would happen if more citizens would get addicted to these substances"

"Imagine if everyone would react like the inn owner, it's only a question of time until a mass brawl will happen somewhere. We have to find out where they got the pills and who sold them. We have to solve this case as fast as possible because there are still other things we have to worry about"

Kelrian raised an eyebrow. "Other things?"

Sylvanas nodded. "Our scouts have reported that the Forest and Amani trolls have acted strangely in the recent weeks. I have a bad feeling that they are up to something"

Kelrian made a thoughtful face. "This is not good"

Sylvanas didn't say something in return, she just looked at him.

"Either we keep investigating this case or you order others to solve this case, so we could investigate what the trolls might be up to" he said.

"I've already ordered Alleria and her group to find out what the trolls are planning. We will solve this case no matter how much time it will take. I can't allow that drugs are affecting our people and lead them to do crazy things" told Sylvanas.

"I've never heard of a drug problem in Quel'Thalas before. I've heard about gangs which are selling drugs in smaller human cities or remoted areas but I have never believed that our people will be affected as well"

"I wouldn't have believed it either. Normally, our guards have always detected those who had tried to smuggle such pills and other illegal products in our lands. But it seems that the dealers have found a way to smuggle them in. We have to get to the bottom of the matter and find out who is smuggling these substances in our land"

"You are absolutely right" he said, turning his head as he noticed the sudden arrival of another person. It was no other than Zetai who walked directly to Sylvanas, lowering his head in respect. "Ranger-General"

"Ranger Zetai. How can I help you?" she asked as she shook his hand.

"I just wanted to let you know that the waitress is no longer suffering from the aftereffects of drugs. You can interrogate her if you want"

She gave him a nod. "I will, thank you"

He lowered his head in respect. "You are welcome, Ranger-General" he left the room as fast as possible after Sylvanas had told him that he was dismissed. Sylvanas turned her head, looking at her lover. "Are you ready?"

He nodded "Yes, I am"

"Good. Follow me then"

Kelrian did as he was told, following her out of the lunchroom through the bordering long corridor to the interrogation room. The guards in front of the door lowered their heads as the greeted them. They didn't hesitate to open the door, allowing Sylvanas and Kelrian to get in.

The room was not very large but it was not too small either. There was a table in the middle of the room around which four chairs were standing. The floor was covered by a soft blue carpet, on the walls hung a few paintings. This was not a normal interrogating room. Sylvanas didn't want to scare the woman so she had chosen this room instead of the other rooms which weren't decorated.

Sylvanas leaned against the wall, pointing at one of the chairs on the left side of the table. Kelrian nodded, taking a seat. He looked at Sylvanas, wondering why she didn't take a seat. He shifted his gaze from Sylvanas' gorgeous face to the two persons who had just entered the room. Janelliena and her friend Liadrin stood in the door, taking a closer look at what was inside the room before they walked over to the table, taking seats opposite to Kelrian.

Sylvanas didn't hesitate for too long. She closed the door and walked to Kelrian, sitting down on the chair next to him. She wrapped one leg over the other, putting her arms on the table as she looked forward.

"How are you feeling, Janelliena?" asked Sylvanas, looking directly at the brunette woman. Liadrin, whose brunette hair had a much lighter colour and was not as long as hers, put one of her hands on her friend's upper arm, giving her a comforting smile. The waitress returned Liadrin's smile for a few moments, then she turned her head to look at the Ranger-General. "I'm fine. Thanks for asking" she said shyly.

"We are grateful that you have agreed to answer a few of our questions. I'm pretty sure you know that the pills we have found in your house are addictive drugs which affect your body in a negative way"

"I have found that out the hard way, Ranger-General" responded Janelliena, giving Sylvanas a shy look. It was unmistakable that the effects of the drugs had vanished because Janelliena was behaving like a completely different person. A few days ago, she had been very disrespectful and rude even to Sylvanas. Now she was nothing more than a shy person who was afraid what the Ranger-General would do if she would upset drugs had led her to behave like a spoiled brat. But now that she wasn't affected anymore, she could be herself again.

"So, you didn't know that these substances would have such an effect on you?" asked Sylvanas, staring into the woman's eyes. She didn't need a spell to find out if someone was lying or not. She was an expert at figuring out if someone was lying or telling the truth. She was not the best ranger without a reason.

Janelliena continued to look into Sylvanas' eyes as she responded. "No, I didn't"

Sylvanas was silent for a few moments. "I believe you"

A sigh of relief escaped her lips. Liadrin put her hands on the hands of her friend, pressing them together. "Come, tell the Ranger-General what you have told me" Liadrin said quietly. It didn't take long for her to convince Janelliena to start explaining.

"Everything began a week ago. I was done with my shift so I packed my things and headed home. It was already dark outside so I wanted to get home as fast as possible. I didn't follow the village's main street, instead, I took a short cut through the narrow alleys. I met a person in one of the alleys. The person told me that he had something for me which could help me to release some stress. Of course, I refused to take what he was offering me. I didn't know that person nor did I know what exactly he wanted to give me. I ran away as fast as I could and got to my house eventually.

Two days later, I met another person, but this time before the sunset. It was a woman and she offered me the same. The day has been pretty stressful so I have accepted the woman's offering. She gave me a small pouch with some of these pills for free" the waitress stopped speaking, taking a deep breath. "I assume that these first few pills made me addicted. I don't remember much what happened after I had consumed the first on the same day"

Sylvanas gave her a thankful nod. She looked over to Kelrian who made a thoughtful face, then she looked back at Janelliena. The woman was still looking at her, shyness and nervousness were still written all over her face.

"Can you tell me something about the woman and the man?"

"I haven't seen the man's face because it has been too dark but I am pretty sure he was an elf. The woman, on the other hand, was a human with short blonde hair. She wore black clothes, her vest and her trousers were made out of black dyed leather. I can't remember much of her face. I only remember the thick and ugly-looking scar with ran from her left cheek to her chin"

Sylvanas put a hand under her chin, rubbing it softly as she made a thoughtful face. "It's better than nothing" she said eventually, "But it's not enough. We need more information"

"Did the woman tell you anything about herself? I assume that you have met her again, so can you tell us where did you meet her for the second time?" asked Kelrian.

Janelliena turned her head, looking at the ranger. "She didn't tell me anything about herself, not even her name or who she was working for. She just told me to meet her in the middle of the nearest forest during midnight if I wanted to have more pills. We met there three times in total. She gave me more pills in exchange for money and objectives of value. I remember buying and consuming these pills but I don't remember more. I'm sorry. Most of my memories... are still blurred..."

"Your boss has taken the same pills. Do you think he got them from the same persons? Have you seen him with them?"

Janelliena shook her head. "I have no clue, sorry"

"Can you show us where exactly you met the woman?" asked Sylvanas.

"I could but I don't believe they will return. I'm pretty sure they have already found out that you have arrested me, so they will be careful. They might think twice about returning to this village"

"That could be possible but it could also be possible that they would wait for a few days and then return. We have to consider that as well and we will stay in this village as long as those drug dealers aren't captivated" announced Sylvanas.

Curiosity appeared on the brunette's face. "How will you capture them?"

"Let me worry about that, I will find a way. We will eliminate this threat and prevent that more citizens will consume these drugs"

"I hope so"

Sylvanas patted her shoulder softly, giving her a small smile. "Do you have any questions?"

"I have one" replied Janelliena.

"Go ahead"

"Will I be punished for possessing and consuming these drugs?" she asked, regarding Sylvanas with pleading eyes.

"I will think about that. You didn't know that these pills would make you addicted when you accepted them. On the other hand, you should never take something from a stranger, especially not when you meet them at night or in the late evening. Never trust someone who is dressed like them. I'm pretty sure they belong to some sort of a gang. If your information turns out to be useful, I may consider giving you only a warning for this time"

"Thank you, Ranger-General" said Janelliena as she lowered her head in respect.

"We are done here for today. Feel free to come to us whenever you remember anything which could help us"

"Don't worry, Ranger-General. I will help you wherever I can"

Sylvanas stood up, walking to the door. She opened it, signalizing Janelliena that she was allowed to go. The waitress stood up immediately, bowing to Sylvanas before she left the room as fast as possible. Liadrin followed her so only Sylvanas and Kelrian were left in the room.

"You are planning something, aren't you?" he asked as he walked to her.

"I do. I think we should wait a few days until the dealers return. Maybe we can lure them in a trap by using Janelliena as a bait. She could pretend that she wants to buy more of these drugs, then we will captivate them and squeeze out the information we first, we will meet with Vereesa and listen to what she has found out"

"She interrogates the inn's owner at this moment, doesn't she?"

"Captain Velon is in charge of the interrogation but my sister supports him. Like you, she never attended an interrogation before so this is new territory for her too. You will find out that interrogations in times of war will be necessary to gain an advantage over your enemy. The sooner you learn how things work, the better you become over time. That was the peaceful version of an interrogation because Janelliena wanted to talk to us. There will be creatures who don't want to tell you anything. You often have to threaten them or find another way to make them times of war, almost every method is acceptable. Even torture is allowed to be used but only if you could save lots of lives with the information you need. We are not orcs, trolls or other cruel creatures who torture their prisoners for their own amusement. We only do what is necessary to protect those we love"

"I get your point" responded Kelrian, giving her a small smile.

"Good. Come, let's go to my sister" she said, closing the door behind her as she left the room together with her lover.


	19. Pursuit

They arrived at the room they were looking for, noticing that the door was still closed. The two guards in front of the door lowered their heads in respect as they spotted the Ranger-General. Sylvanas greeted them in return so did Kelrian.

The guards wore blue and golden coloured armours. They carried large shields and sharp and long swords in their hands. Lots of such guards in such armours were stationed in Silvermoon City and in the area around it. These guards were not as manoeuvrable as the rangers, their heavy armours prevented that they could move as fast as a ranger but they protected them pretty well from arrows and melee weapons.

"Where is my sister?" asked Sylvanas after she had scrutinized the two males in front of her.

"She is still in the interrogation room. She doesn't want to get disturbed as long as the interrogation is enduring" explained the left guard, a large male with short blond hair. The other guard, who was two heads smaller than his companion and had long black hair, didn't say anything. He just looked at Sylvanas and Kelrian, not daring to leave his post. He seemed to be determined to not let anyone pass.

Sylvanas could order the guards to step aside and let her in but she didn't, because she didn't want to disturb Velon and her sister. They had to do this on their own. Sylvanas leaned against the opposite wall, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she kept an eye on the door. Kelrian mimicked her, waiting with her until the door was opened and Vereesa came out. Behind her came Velon who was guiding the inn's owner through the bordering corridor.

Vereesa's lips formed a small smile as she spotted her sister. She didn't hesitate to walk over to Sylvanas, hugging her. Sylvanas returned the hug, wrapping her arms around Vereesa's back. She smiled as she noticed that her little sister was leaning against her. Sylvanas was wondering why she looked so exhausted. She assumed it had been a real challenge to get useful information from the inn's owner. Otherwise, she couldn't explain to herself why Vereesa looked so tired. Sylvanas held her little sister for a while, smiling at her as she pulled away eventually.

"Are you okay?"

Vereesa brushed a strand of silver hair behind her ear, nodding at her. "I'm fine, I guess. It was not easy to get useful information out of him. He talked a lot. A lot of nonsense most of the time. Somehow, I managed to filter out the most important information and note them. I'm not sure if they turn out to be useful but it's better than nothing"

"What did you find out?" Kelrian asked curiously.

"He told me that he met a man who calls himself Infamous sold him weird-looking pills which manipulated his perceptiveness. He didn't remember much what happened after he has consumed the pills. He only knows that he felt happy and wanted to consume more of these _drugs_ "

"Infamous? Is this some sort of a joke?" asked Kelrian.

"I don't think so. Criminals or members of gangs often havecode names or nicknames" responded Sylvanas.

A sigh escaped Kelrian's lips. "Did he tell you how this man looks?"

"Unfortunately, he is not sure how he looks like. He gave me a lot of descriptions but his statements contradict each other. We have no clue how he looks like, we don't know how old he is, we don't know how tall he is. Basically, we don't know anything about him" told Vereesa.

"That's unfortunate" muttered Sylvanas.

"Did you find anything out, sister?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure what to do with the information" Sylvanas explained quickly what the waitress had told them. Velon had arrived in the meantime and listened to the last half of her explanation. He asked a few questions to understand everything, then he made a thoughtful face as he figured out what to do. The others did the same.

"We should station disguised rangers in the nearest villages. Maybe even in all villages in Quel'Thalas. They will dress up as normal inhabitants and keep an eye out for suspicious persons" suggested Velon.

"Invisible rangers could patrol through the villages and follow any suspicious person. Maybe they will find a base of the gang, of the group of bandits or with whoever we have to deal with" added Kelrian.

"That's not a bad idea" praised Sylvanas. "We should do that and we should try to lure out those who have sold the drugs to the waitress and her boss. Maybe they return a few days or weeks later if we give them the impression that the coast is clear and we have stopped investigating this case"

"It's worth a try" said Vereesa.

"If there is no one who has doubts or objections, we will do it like this"

Nobody said anything. They just nodded their heads, telling Sylvanas they agreed with everything. Sylvanas dismissed everyone. Velon bowed to her and said goodbye before he walked away. Kelrian did the same but he walked in the other direction. Vereesa stayed with her sister and followed her to her office.

* * *

_Two weeks later_

Sylvanas hid in the bushes and regarded the scene not far away from her. Kelrian, Zetai, Vereesa and three of Sylvanas' best rangers were hiding in the same bush. Alleria and five of her rangers were crouching in a bush on the opposite side of the clearing. There were four persons in the middle of the clearing.

Janelliena was one of them. She was the decoy. She had agreed to buy these pills from the mysterious persons so the rangers could follow them. They were hoping that these persons would bring them to their base or to their boss. The drug dealers had been inactive for almost two weeks because they had been scared that they might get caught. They had only returned as they had noticed that the coast was clear.

Of course, it was not but they didn't know that. They believed the Farstriders had stopped investigating this case because the trolls were causing troubles in the south of Quel'Thalas. They expected that the Farstriders would focus on the troll problem and ignore them completely. But that was not the truth.

Ranger Captain Sweetblossom and Verena were taking care of the trolls while Sylvanas and the others investigated the drug problem. They had found out that more citizens had bought these pills but most of these drugs had been seized before the citizens could have consumed them. Only a few had consumed them but they had been arrested before they could have endangered others.

Sylvanas' hidden spies had reported that these three persons had been seen in lots of smaller villages near the west coast of Quel'Thalas. They hadn't dared to visit larger places like towns or outposts. They had only tried to sell their stuff in small villages where only a few guards were stationed.

Sylvanas was pretty sure that these three were only responsible for selling the drugs. She assumed that there was a big boss who was coordinating everything. She could capture the sellers right now but that wouldn't solve the problem. She knew she had to catch the big boss if she wanted to solve this case. She just had to be patient and wait until the drug dealers would bring her and her rangers to their boss.

At this very moment, Janelliena handed a small leather sack to the persons. The smallest of the three, the woman with the scar, opened the bag and checked if the amount of gold was sufficient. She closed it and made a gesture with her hand. A man with short red-dyed hair handed Janelliena a small bag. Sylvanas' spies had found out that this man was the one who was known as Infamous. He seemed to be the one who sold the most drugs and he was by far the best when it came to vanish into thin air whenever a guard came in his near.

The last human was the man who had found Janelliena first and had offered her the drugs first. Like the others, the lower half of his face was covered by a scarf. He had lots of scars on the back of his bald head. He and the others were wearing black clothes which made them look like bandits. Half a dozen knives and a long machete hung on his belt. His companions had similar weapons.

Janelliena opened the bag, checking the content then she closed it. She thanked the men and hurried away.

"Easy money" commented Infamous as soon as the elf was out of his sight. "I told you that no one is pursuing us. This whore of a Ranger-General has no clue who we are, where we are and who we are working for. We wouldn't have sold so many drugs during the past days if she would know a thing"

"You are right" said the woman. "The famous Sylvanas Windrunner doesn't know shit about us. I expected more of her"

"We have no time for talking. The boss is waiting, we should return now" spoke the bald man.

"Alright, let's go" ordered Infamous, turning around. He started walking to the east side of the clearing, the others didn't hesitate to follow him.

Sylvanas waited for a few moments, then she gave her rangers the signal to follow her. They walked with a stoop as they followed them. They didn't make any noises so the dealers didn't notice them as they walked through the forest. They didn't turn around nor did they increase their walking tempo. It seemed that they were convinced that no one was following them. They walked for half an hour, arriving at a camp in the middle of the forest.

The camp consisted of seven tents, one of them was larger than the rest. Sylvanas and her group stopped about sixty feet away from the camp. The quiet whistle they heard told them that Alleria's group was not far away from them and ready for direct access. Sylvanas' whistle sounded different than Alleria's, telling the older ranger to be patient.

Sylvanas and her group spotted seven humans and one elf as they checked their surroundings. Kelrian and Sylvanas were the only ones who recognized the elf. He was no other than the elf Sylvanas and Kelrian had spared two and a half years ago. He had broken his promise to never return to Quel'Thalas but that didn't surprise them at all. They hadn't expected much from a criminal.

The elf seemed to be one of the group's lookouts. He was staring in the direction where Sylvanas and her group were hiding. But he couldn't see them because it was too dark and the bushes were covering them. The other lookout stood on the opposite side of the camp.

The gazes of the group members fell onto the only guy who was standing in front of the was a lanky man whose face was decorated with lots of scars. The clothes he wore looked better than the clothes of the rest of his gang. He stared at the fire, only looking up when Infamous cleared his throat.

"We sold another bag of pills, boss" announced Infamous, handing him the sack of gold. The man took it, opened it and studied its content. Then he pulled a few gold coins out of it and handed them to Infamous. "Well done. Who was the purchaser?"

"It was this beautiful waitress from Sunset Village. I forgot her name... But I remember that she has bought five bags in total"

"A very loyal customer" commented the boss then he stared into the flames again. "I hope no one followed you"

"Don't worry, boss. I've sold drugs and other illegal goods for fifteen years and I've never been caught by anyone" responded Infamous.

"Don't underestimate the high elves. They are a lot smarter than the guards of Lordaeron. They won't give up that easily"

"I will handle them, they won't find us"

The boss turned his head, regarding him for a few moments then he stared back into the flames. "I hope that for you, otherwise... You know what happens to someone who disappoints me"

Infamous gulped. He looked frightened for a short moment but then his facial expression became determined. "I won't disappoint you"

"I hope that for you"

"Do you have any news for us?"

"We managed to steal more pills from the trolls"

Infamous made a surprised face. "Where do these trolls get all the drugs?"

"They stole it as well. Zul'jin's raiders attacked another bandit camp and those bandits stole the drugs from corrupt human alchemists who tried to smuggle them out in a cart"

"I don't really care where we get them as long as we get enough of them. We're gonna be rich" responded Infamous. His lips formed a wide grin, his eyes reflected greed.

"We have to be careful, this is not as easy as you might think" responded the boss, giving his subordinate a strict look.

Infamous nodded, signalizing him that he understood.

"What are we doing now?" asked the woman with the scar.

The boss didn't look at her as he answered. "Waiting. Waiting for our rogues to return. They have found a small troll camp not far away from this place. Maybe they have managed to steal some drugs, maybe they didn't. We will find that out soon"

The gang waited patiently until three persons returned after half an hour. They wore similar clothes but their faces were covered by veils. It was obvious that they were rogues, otherwise, they wouldn't dress like that. The rogues dismounted and walked to the boss, handing him three larger bags. He opened all three of them, smiling as he saw that every single bag was filled to the brim with pills.

"These were the last pills the trolls had" said one of the three men.

"We have to steal from the corrupt alchemists then if we want to get more" responded the boss.

"Or we make a deal with those alchemists. Maybe we can establish a commercial partnership with them" said the second rogue.

"I will think about that" replied the boss. "Dismantle the camp. We will travel to the next village"

His subordinates didn't hesitate to do what they have been ordered, dismantling the first tents quickly. They had removed half the tents as numerous arrows flew through the air and hit them. The arrows weren't aimed for their heads or other vulnerable spots. Instead, the Farstriders had aimed for their feet. Half of the drug dealers fell to the ground, screamed in pain as they tried to get rid of the arrows. The wounded were lying on the ground, unable to do anything except for hiding behind something. It didn't help them at all because they were surrounded by the elven rangers.

The others, who had remained unharmed until this very moment, were either hit in the foot, in the shin or in the upper thigh. Sylvanas' rangers didn't want to kill them, they only wanted to prevent that they could fight back or flee. Some of them threw knives at the nearest bushes but they didn't hit any of the rangers because they had no clue where they were.

None of the drug dealers had escaped the hail of arrows. Not even the boss. He had been hit by many arrows but these arrows hadn't just hit his legs. There were three arrows in each arm and leg and two in his upper body. He was pinned to a large tree in the middle of the camp. A few feet next to him laid Infamous. Four arrows stuck in his left leg, the rest of his body was unharmed.

Sylvanas' rangers stepped out of the bushes as soon as Sylvanas had given them the signal that the coast was clear. The rangers rushed to the gang members, tying their arms and legs together. They removed the arrows, turned them around and pressed their knees in their backs as they pushed their faces against the muddy ground, preventing that they could get up.

Infamous managed to get up somehow before any ranger could reach him. He pulled a knife from his belt, intending to throw it at Sylvanas who came out of bushes at this very moment. An arrow hit the forearm which was holding the knife, causing him to drop the weapon. Infamous screamed in pain and his screams became louder as Zetai threw him over his shoulder and pressed him onto the ground.

Sylvanas turned her head, looking at the man who had shot the arrow. Kelrian had already pulled another arrow out of his quiver for a case that another gang member would try something. He returned Sylvanas' nod, looking at her for a split of a second before his eyes fell back on the whimpering Infamous.

Sylvanas walked over to the lanky man, stopping a few feet away from him. She scrutinized him closely, smiling as she saw the fear in his eyes.

"You made yourselves liable to prosecution by selling illegal substances to the inhabitants of this land. In the name of High King Anasterian Sunstrider, I, Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner, take you and your men into custody"

With the help of her sisters, she removed the arrows in the boss' body. They tied his hands behind his back, dragging him away with the rest of his gang. Zetai and Kelrian searched the camp for drugs together with the other members of Sylvanas' elite team. They found a few crates in the boss' tent. The crates were filled with pills, gold coins, pieces of jewellery and other valuable items. Mel'ron, one of Sylvanas' best spies, took a few gems out of one of these crates and put them in his pocket. Neither Kelrian nor Zetai said something. They pretended that they didn't see anything as they lifted the crate, which contained at least thousands of pills, and brought it out of the tent. The crate was so heavy that they had to carry it together. Otherwise, one of them would have dropped it and spread its content over the ground.

Together they carried the crate out of the forest. Velonand Felicia, who was a member of Alleria's team, accompanied them and took care of them. Nothing extraordinary happened so the small group managed to bring the crate to the small camp the Farstriders had established two hours ago. They put the crate in front of the Ranger-General's tent, then they turned around and looked at the forest they had just left. The gang members were brought to the camp one by one. Each member was guarded by at least two rangers who made sure that they got no opportunity to flee.

"What are you waiting for?" asked a familiar voice. Both rangers startled, turning around to look at the person who had surprised them. "What was that?" asked Sylvanas, tilting her head a little.

"Well... We weren't expecting you would approach us from behind like a rogue" said Zetai.

"You always have to expect that someone can come from anywhere. Haven't I taught you to be prepared for everything?"

"You did, my Ranger-General. We are sorry" said Kelrian, giving her a smile only she could recognize in the dark.

Sylvanas chuckled, smiling at them. "You don't need to be sorry. I understand that you are tired after chasing these criminals for days but you always have to be prepared for everything. Don't forget that"

"We won't"

"Anyways, we have the gang finally. Now we need to inform Lordaeron about their corrupt alchemists. We also have to take a closer look at the troll camp, the rogues of the gang mentioned" told Sylvanas.

Vereesa and Alleria came to her as they had heard what their sister had just said. "I think our rangers are too tired for a fight" the oldest Windrunner said.

"I never said anything about fighting. I only mentioned that we have to take a closer look at them. You and your team have joined us a few hours ago which means you shouldn't be too tired. Why don't you find out how many trolls are in this camp? Observe them until another group will replace you. I will bring my group to the nearest base and send a group of spies and rogues to you. They will replace you so you can help me to plan a sneak attack"

"As you wish, my dear Ranger-General" responded Alleria, teasing Sylvanas by making a curtsey. Sylvanas rolled her eyes, looking at her other sister.

"What will I do?" asked the silver-haired woman next to Alleria.

"You will interrogate the criminals while I gather more rangers in case there are more trolls than expected in our land"

"As you wish, my dear sister" responded Vereesa, smiling at her. Sylvanas returned her smile, regarding her for a few moments. She turned her head eventually, looking at her secret lover and his best friend. "You two will carry the crate with the pills to the nearest base. Be careful that no pills fall out of it"

Kelrian and Zetai nodded to her and lifted the crate up. They started to walk as Sylvanas told them to follow her. They walked and walked, arriving at the nearest base after two hours. A few rangers took the crate from them, bringing it to the office of the leading captain. Kelrian and Zetai took a rest because they were really exhausted after they had carried the crate for such a long time. Meanwhile, Sylvanas was speaking to the captain. She told him to send his best rogues and spies to the coordinates she had given him, then she informed him what had happened.

The Ranger-Captain nodded to her, telling her that he will do that immediately. Sylvanas gave him a thankful smile, leaving his office the next moment. She returned to her rangers, spotting Kelrian and Zetai first who were having a little chat while sitting on wooden benches. She stopped in front of them, regarding them for a few moments. They stopped talking as soon as they recognized her presence, turning their heads to look at her.

"We will depart in thirty minutes. I know we have travelled a lot today but Silvermoon City is only a ride of two hours away. We will get through that as well. Eat something and relax so you will have enough strength to stay on your horses. I don't want to see that any of you falls off his horse" told Sylvanas.

Kelrian chuckled, giving her a small smile. "Don't worry, Ranger-General. We won't"

"Good. I will see you in thirty minutes then" she responded, walking away after she had received nods from them. Kelrian and Zetai remained on their benches, talking while eating the food, some recruits had brought them. Kelrian noticed a young woman from time to time which seemed to look at him whenever she was in his near. The woman randomly appeared from time to time but she always stayed away from them. Kelrian could have walked to her or told her to come closer so he could ask her what was going on. But he didn't because he was too exhausted to do anything. At least the half-hour of rest restored a portion of his strength.

The meal, which was a bean stew, had been really delicious. It had satisfied their hunger, for the moment at least. They brought the empty bowls to the kitchen before walked to the stable in front of which Sylvanas and the other rangers of her elite group were waiting. Sylvanas was standing next to Mel'ron, telling him to go with the group the captain had gathered to replace Alleria's group.

He turned around, as soon as he was dismissed, and walked over to the group. They were already sitting on their horses so they were able to depart. Mel'ron mounted his horse, leaving the large base with the group without hesitation.

Sylvanas turned her head to Kelrian and his friend as soon as the spies and rogues were gone. She gave them an inviting smile, signalizing them to come closer. The two rangers did as they were told, approaching Sylvanas. She only needed to point at two horses on which no one was sitting to make them understand. They climbed on the horses as fast as possible, making sure they were sitting comfortably in their looked at Sylvanas, showing her that they were ready.

Sylvanas walked over to her horse, looked around and checked if the others were ready as well. Indeed, they were so Sylvanas gave the command to follow her. She spurred her horse, leading her rangers out of the military base. They followed the main road back to Silvermoon City, arriving at the capital city two hours later. The only ones, who were still outside during this late hour, were the guards which were either patrolling somewhere or standing right in front of the main gate. The Silvermoon guardians wore their typical blue-golden coloured armours and carried massive shields and long swords or even spears. They greeted the rangers as soon as they saw them, some of them even bowed as Sylvanas passed them.

The group stopped in front of the main gate, dismounting quickly. The leader of these guards, a petite woman with short blonde hair,saluted to Sylvanas as soon as she approached her. "Welcome back, Ranger-General. I hope your mission was successful"

"It was indeed. Thanks for asking, Captain" Sylvanas scrutinized the guard. Her armour was adorned with more decorations and was made out of a firmer material, which protected her better against magic spells, than the armours of the average guardians. "Is everything alright outside?"

"It is. We haven't heard of any other group of trolls which is causing trouble in our land. The rest of Quel'Thalas is safe"

"There is a group of trolls near the east border but we are already taking care of them" responded Sylvanas. "You don't need to worry but tell your men to keep their eyes open and stay careful"

The captain smiled. "Don't worry, I have already told them this"

"Good. I hope your shift will be uneventful, Captain Blossompicker"

"Thank you, Ranger-General" responded the petite woman, lowering her head in respect as Sylvanas passed her and walked through the opened gate. Her rangers, who had dismounted in the meantime, followed her without hesitation. The streets were rather empty to this late hour, only a few inhabitants could be found there. They greeted the Ranger-General and her companions, then they went on with what they had done before.

The group didn't need long to arrive at the Farstrider Square. Like the streets, the entire square was enlightened so everyone was able to clearly see the magnificent building known as the headquarters of the Farstriders. It was larger than most buildings in the city, its walls were coloured in white and adorned by yellow strips which reached from one side of the to the other **.** There were six statues in front of the building, three to the left side and three to the right side of the main entrance. The first statue to the left of the entrance was a statue of Sylvanas while the first statue to the right was a statue of Lireesa Windrunner. The other statues resembled common rangers.

Even as a statue Sylvanas looked gorgeous. Everyone agreed on this point. Kelrian was no exception. He regarded the statue longer than necessary, turning his head as Sylvanas' whistle brought him out of his daydreams. He blushed a little but he didn't get embarrassed nor did he look at his feet. He looked at Sylvanas instead, realizing that the other rangers were not there anymore.

"Where are the others?" he asked curiously.

"I've dismissed them, I assume that each of them is taking a rest now"

"Oh, I shouldn't get lost in thoughts so often" he muttered.

"Well" said Sylvanas, looking for the right words. She smiled at him, putting her hand on his shoulder. "You look cute when you are lost in thoughts and staring at something like that" she whispered.

Kelrian just smiled at her.

"Come, follow me to my office. I need your help with something"

"I'm curious what it is" he whispered.

Sylvanas didn't say anything in response. She gave her lover a teasing smirk, then she turned around and walked through the entrance. Kelrian didn't hesitate to follow her, his eyes rested on her butt which she swayed whenever she made a step. She did that on purpose but he didn't object that she was swaying her hips like that. Her well-formed butt looked even sexier in the leggings she was wearing. It was no wonder that Kelrian was unable to avert his gaze. Inappropriate thoughts came in his mind as he kept regarding her ass. Unlike most of the times where he caught himself having these thoughts, he didn't banish them out of his mind. Instead, he remembered how Sylvanas' butt looked like without leggings and underwear covering it.

He was so lost in thoughts that he didn't notice that Sylvanas had stopped in front of a door. She was regarding him with a raised eyebrow, wondering when he would stop. She stepped aside and regarded Kelrian who ran straight against the door and staggered back after his head had come in contact with it.

"Ouch" he hissed quietly as he rubbed his forehead. He turned around after the pain had vanished, looking at Sylvanas whose hands were on her hips. Her head was tilted, an amused expression was visible on her face.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"If only I would know that" he muttered.

Sylvanas smiled at him as she shook her head. She walked to the door and opened it with a key she had pulled out of her belt pocket. She pushed the door open, allowing Kelrian to enter. She closed the door behind her, locking it. She put the key back in the pocket, guiding Kelrian over to her desk.

Kelrian didn't look around in her office because he had seen it a lot of times. He knew on which spot which piece of furniture stood and he knew which door led to which room. The left door at the opposite side of the room led to a bedroom, the other door which was on the right side of the room led to a bathroom.

"How exactly can I help you?" asked Kelrian, regarding her curiously. He tilted his head a little as he noticed the smirk on Sylvanas' lips. She walked over to him, stopping directly in front of him so their bodies almost touched. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He could feel her hot breath on his neck, her skilled hands massaged his shoulders.

"Today was a very stressful and exhausting day. My muscles are tense and my skin is tingling when I'm only in your near. I need to relax and release some stress" she whispered in his ear, licking over its entire length. She chuckled when she saw his ear twitch in response. She didn't need to touch the tip to know it was very stiff, meaning her presence and her actions had the expected effect on him.

"Your wish is my command"

She didn't respond. She just smiled at him, staring into his eyes. She put one hand on the back of his head, pulling it down so she could connect her lips with his. She deepened the kiss as soon as she noticed that he was kissing her back, inserting her tongue in his mouth. She felt that her heart was beating rapidly in her chest as she held the kiss as long as possible. They pulled away but reconnected their lips as soon as they had breathed in enough air.

Sylvanas pushed Kelrian backwards slowly until they reached her desk. She pulled away, biting her bottom lip as she regarded him with a horny expression on her face. She recognized the lust in his eyes which made her even hornier. Her gaze didn't leave his face as she swept the documents off her desk nor did it leave his face as she got closer to him, pressing her hips against his. She put one hand on his chest, pushing him until his upper body landed on her big desk. It was big enough that two persons could lay on it.

She removed the top of her uniform and her bra, dropping them to the floor. Her smirk became wider as she noticed that Kelrian was scrutinizing her nude upper body. She climbed on her desk, sitting down on Kelrian's upper body. "Let the fun begin"she whispered, her voice sounded very erotic.

* * *

"I have needed this so badly" admitted Sylvanas as she stretched her back and got off her desk she was sitting at. She turned her head, looking at her lover who was still lying on top of the desk. Kelrian was fully naked, his chest rose and fell with each breath he made. He lifted his upper body up eventually, his eyes scrutinized Sylvanas' nude form. She was doing the same, smiling when she noticed that his gaze rested on her breasts longer than on every other part of her body.

"That's one way to end a very tense and eventful day"

"Indeed" Sylvanas commented. "One way we both enjoy, right?"

He returned her smile. "You are absolutely right my love". He stood up and walked over to her, putting his hands on her hips as he leaned in to kiss her. She didn't hesitate to return the kiss, inserting her tongue as soon as Kelrian's lips were parted. Kelrian wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer as their kiss deepened. Their sweaty bodies were pressed against another, their lips didn't separate as if they were glued together.

But the pair separated after a while. They were breathing heavily, staring into the other's eyes, smiling. Sylvanas lowered her gaze, smirking as she spoke. "It seems you are ready for round two"

She looked up again, finding him smiling at her. "Maybe but at the same time I really need to get a shower"

Sylvanas chuckled. "We can combine both, you know. There is a bathroom we can use"

"How practical"

"It is indeed" Sylvanas pointed at the bathroom. "Good ahead, _Dalah'surfal_. I will join you soon"

He smirked "You better do, otherwise I have to _punish_ you later"

Sylvanas grinned. "I would love to see that"

"Maybe you will"

"Come, go in the shower. I will join you in a minute"

Kelrian nodded to her, letting his eyes roam over her perfect shape one last time before he turned around and walked to the bathroom, entering it without hesitation.

Sylvanas stared at the door for a few moments before she walked around her desk and opened one of the drawers. She took a small tin, which contained pink pills, out of it. She opened it, took one pill out of it and swallowed it. She closed the tin and put it back in the drawer, closing it as well.

She was about to turn around and walk to the bathroom as she heard loud knocks at the door. A frustrated groan escaped her lips as she heard a voice calling her.

"Who is it" shouted Sylvanas, making sure her frustration wasn't reflected by her voice **.**

"Ranger-Captain Vara Sweetblossom" a female voice answered.

"What you want?" asked Sylvanas, getting dressed as fast as possible. She rushed over to the wall mirror, fixing her hair.

"I have important news for you, my General"

"Good or bad news"

Vara was silent for a few moments but then she spoke after having considered what to answer. "Both"

Sylvanas walked to her door, opened it and let the woman in. Like her younger sister Salna, Vara's long blonde hair was voluminous and curly. She looked very similar to her sister. The only difference was that she had a long scar on her neck. She had more scars all over her body but they were covered by her clothes.

"Tell me the good news first" Sylvanas burst out.

"Ranger-Captain Sunbather and I managed to take care of the troll problem in the killed forty trolls in total"

"That's good. How many men did we lose?"

"Five"

Sylvanas was silent for a minute, mourning for the fallen. She exhaled loudly. "At least we won and killed more than we lost. Now we only have to take care of the trolls in the east **"**. Sylvanas made a small pause. "Tell me about the bad news" she demanded, already prepared for the worst.

"Another group of trolls attacked a village in the south. They were killed by the rangers and Silvermoon Guards which were stationed there. But..."

"But what? Spill it out already"

Vara hesitated for a moment. "A group which was patrolling near the village wanted to aid them, but they got ambushed before they reached the village. Only the paladin who escorted the group survived but she was badly wounded. "

"Who?"

"It's the mother of one of your rangers. Her name is Liana Sunsinger"


	20. Reunion

Liana Sunsinger. Kelrian's mother. Was badly wounded.

"Her life is no longer threatened but I'm afraid she will never be able to fight again. She won't be such a good fighter as she has been before, that's for sure" said Ranger-Captain Vara.

Sylvanas was biting her bottom lip. "She lost a limb, didn't she?"

"Her left forearm which is her sword arm"

A loud sigh escaped Sylvanas' lips "At least she is alive and has one hand left with which she could heal the wounded. She can still work as a priestess. She may not like it but at least she didn't die like the rest of her group"

"You need to tell Ranger Sunsinger what happened to his mother"

"I will as soon as I see him" said Sylvanas. "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Vara shook her head.

"You may go now. You did a great job at handling these trolls, so you deserve a reward. I give you and your team three days off. Same counts for Verena's team"

"Thank you, my General" responded Vara lowering her head in respect. Sylvanas nodded to her, gesturing her to leave the office. Vara did as she was told, closing the door behind her.

Sylvanas stared at the door for a few moments, not sure what to do at this very moment. She didn't want to ruin her lover's good mood but she had to tell him the truth even though this would mean she wouldn't be able to join him in the shower. He deserved to know the truth. He may not have the best relationship with his mother but that didn't mean she wasn't important to him. She had to tell him the truth. As soon as possible.

She turned her head as she heard her name, looking at the bathroom door which was opened slightly. Kelrian's head poked out, a confused expression was visible on his face. "Sylvanas?" he asked quietly, wondering why she wore her uniform and was not in the bathroom already. He noticed the thoughtful expression on her face, so he was wondering what was wrong.

He came out a few moments later, a towel was wrapped around his waist. His blonde hair was as wet as the rest of his body. He stepped to Sylvanas, drying his left hand before he put it on her shoulder. He turned her around, staring into her eyes, a worried look was visible on his face.

"What is wrong, _Dalah'surfal?"_

She put her hands on his face, rubbing his cheeks. His presence was enough to brighten up her mood, for a bit at least. "I received bad news"

Kelrian frowned, his face also reflected worry. "Did something happen to the units of Verena and Ranger-Captain Sweetblossom"

"No, they succeeded. They killed forty trolls and only lost five rangers"

"What is wrong then?" he asked, bringing her face closer to his.

"Another group of trolls attacked a village in the south. An entire patrol died, except for a high-ranked paladin. She was badly wounded and lost her sword hand. I'm afraid she will never be able to fight again, at least she won't be as good as she was before"

"At least she survived...I feel sorry about the rest of her group...We're getting less and less..." Kelrian made a depressed face, looking at his feet for a few moments. Then he looked up, regarding Sylvanas curiously. "Did you know the members of this group personally?"

A sad sounding sigh escaped Sylvanas' lips. "I didn't know any of them", she made a small pause, "But you know a least one of them. You know the survivor"

Kelrian's eyes widened. "Who is she?" he asked louder than he had intended to.

Sylvanas hesitated for a moment but then she gave him the answer. "Your mother"

Kelrian's facial features derailed. He didn't move, he didn't even blink, he just stood there. His mind went blank. He didn't do anything nor did he say anything. His eyes stared at a random spot behind Sylvanas.

Sylvanas didn't know what was going on in his mind. Her face reflected worry as she regarded him. Her hands still rested on his cheeks, caressing them softly. She whispered comforting words in his ear, hoping to cause a reaction. But he didn't react to any of her attempts. He remained like this for a while, really worrying Sylvanas.

But eventually, he managed to break out of this state of trance. He turned his head, looking at Sylvanas who was still having a worried expression on her face.

"Kelrian? Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm not sure"

"The wounds of your mother will heal sooner or later. She will get better. She may not be able to fight anymore but she will be able to work as a priestess. She could use her other hand to heal the wounded. This might not be the same but it's better than nothing"

"You are right. At least she is still alive, that's better than nothing... You know she might regard me as a shame but that doesn't change the fact that she is my mother. I love her no matter how she treats me"

"I get your point, my love"

"So, you understand that I want to see her?"

Sylvanas nodded her head. "I do"

"Do you know where she is?"

"Not really but maybe your cousin knows more. I don't really know where the paladins are stationed. The order of the paladins knows about that. You can ask Liadrin if she knows anything. Meanwhile, I speak to the paladin with the highest rank in Quel'Thalas"

"That would be my grandmother. She is one of the few members of my family who doesn't regard me as a shame. On the contrary, she told me that she is proud of me the last time I saw her" explained Kelrian.

"Do you have any idea where I can find her?" Sylvanas asked.

Kelrian made a thoughtful face, rubbing his chin with his left hand. "I have no clue" he said eventually.

Sylvanas rubbed her forehead with her fingers, sighing out loudly. "I think it is easier if I order some of my rangers to find your mother. It's easier that way than looking out for some high ranked paladins who might know where she is right now. I will travel to the village where the skirmish has taken place and ask the inhabitants if they know anything. My rangers will also visit your former home and find out if she is there"

"Thank you, Sylvanas" said Kelrian, kissing her cheek softly.

"I would be a bad girlfriend if I wouldn't support you. I love you and I don't want you to be so sad. I don't think that visiting your family is a good idea but I understand that you want to see your mother. I was there for my mother as her disease was diagnosed and I even retired as a ranger to take care of her. I took care of my mother and spend as much as possible with her until I was sure she was getting better. Then I took her place as Ranger-General after she has decided to retire completely"

"You never told me what kind of disease your mother has"

"She has a weak form of paralysis. She is still able to move but she is not able to move very fast. She can't run for very long and fighting is also very problematic. Not to mention that even sparring really exhausts her. It's a riddle for our doctors. After nearly a century none of our best healers found a solution. They don't know how to treat it. So basically, there is nothing which could help her"

"I'm sorry to hear that" spoke Kelrian, lowering his head.

"My mother has needed her time to get used to that but nowadays she accepts how it is. She is doing the household, making sure we get enough to eat, to drink and stuff like that. She is also running a little shop where she sells goods, souvenirs and other more or less useful items. She is happy with her life and that's all that matters"

"Hopefully my mother will handle everything as well as your mother did"

"I hope that too" responded Sylvanas, caressing his cheeks.

"I will return to Liadrin's house and ask her as soon as she returns" announced Kelrian.

"I will take a shower, get some sleep and then I will visit the village which has been attacked. I don't believe she is still there but maybe the villagers know something. I will also order some of my rangers to look for her"

"Thank you, _Dalah'surfal_ "

Sylvanas wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning in to put a quick kiss on his lips. "I'm your girlfriend, it's my duty to cheer you up and support you wherever I can"

He smiled at her, looking into her eyes. She did the same so they stared at each other for nearly half an hour. Kelrian kissed her one last time before he pulled away. "I really need to go now if I want to get some sleep"

"See you soon, my love" said Sylvanas and walked to one of her shelves. She looked for a certain book and pulled it, causing that a secret exit was opened next to the shelf. Kelrian could take the bordering corridor and leave the headquarters of the Farstriders without being seen by anyone. Sylvanas didn't want that he needed to lie if someone would ask him why he left the Ranger-General's office with wet hair **.** Not to mention people will wonder what he had done there the entire time. She didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble for him, so sneaking out was the best solution.

Kelrian looked at her for the last time before he walked through the secret exit. Sylvanas pushed the book back, waiting until the secret exit was closed. She regarded the wall for a few moments before she started to strip off her clothes as she walked to the bathroom, ready to take a shower.

* * *

Kelrian took a deep breath before he made the first step towards the entrance on his former home. He was standing in the front garden of his family's house, which was the largest house in Suncrown Village. He hadn't been there for a while so old memories came up as he regarded the house closely.

He noticed that it hadn't changed at all. The walls were made out of the same white material and decorated with the same blue and golden ornaments. It had three storeys and its roof was covered by blue tiles. There was a banner which hung beneath one of the windows on the highest storey. It showed the coat of arms of his family: A man who was looking at the sun while musical notes came out of his mouth. A singing man who was regarding the sun.

Kelrian regarded the house for the last moment before he did the next step, slowing walking to the front door. He stopped in front of it, taking a deep breath before he gathered all his courage and knocked at the door. He didn't need to wait for too long. The door was opened and his younger sister Cincia looked out. The young woman, who was at the age of sixty-two, regarded him with widened eyes, her mouth was widely opened. Kelrian chuckled when he saw his sister's reaction. She didn't expect him and he was pretty sure the rest of their family wasn't expecting him either.

Cincia stopped staring at him after a few moments, approaching and hugging him without hesitation. She wrapped her arms around his back, pressing herself against him. Kelrian put one hand on the smaller woman's head, the other caressed her back softly.

"I've missed you so much" she muttered, keeping her voice low to prevent that any other member of her family could hear her.

Kelrian did the same as he responded. "I've missed you too, my dear. It has been a long time since the last time we have seen each other"

"Fourteen years to be exact"

"Fourteen years already?"

She nodded. "You have been away too long"

"I know" he responded, pausing for a few moments as he considered what to say. "But I can't return as long as mother and father are not changing their minds. I hope you can understand this"

"I do" she said, playing with the hem of her blue shirt. "But I don't like that you are not living with us" she added.

"I don't like it either but I couldn't take it anymore. The way they behaved when I was around and the way they looked at me...It became unbearable, so I left"

Cincia put her hand on her brother's left shoulder, rubbing it softly. "I'm sorry"

Kelrian chucked. It's not your fault my dear"

"I know but I wish I could change things. I tried to talk to mother and father but they didn't listen. Father even forbid us to say your name"

Kelrian's eyes widened, he opened his mouth but no words came out. He was too shocked to say anything. He had expected that his parents wouldn't talk much about him with his siblings but he had never expected that they would forbid them to say his name. His parents were behaving as if he had died. It shocked him that they treated him like that just because he didn't become a priest or a paladin. His parents had expelled him just because he was not able to use the light.

They didn't care that he belonged to the best rangers of his generation. They didn't care that he was the youngest member of Sylvanas' elite team. He belonged to the best of the best. But his parents still regarded him as a shame even though he had a similar status as them.

His father was a priest and his mother was a paladin while he was a ranger. Priests, Paladins and Rangers helped and protected those who couldn't protect themselves. They deserved everyone's respect. His parents may have higher ranks but that didn't make them better than him. Nevertheless, the regarded themselves as better people and Kelrian as scum.

Kelrian had accepted how his parents behaved. He was just glad that he didn't live with them anymore. He would become insane if he would have to live together with his parents. Even a week would be too much for him. Lucky for him, he had been able to move out and live in Liadrin's house.

"I don't believe they will ever change" said Kelrian quietly.

"Sadly not. At least not father"

Kelrian raised an eyebrow, giving his sister a curious look. "What do you mean?"

"I don't think mother regards you as a shame. I believe she only behaves like this because she is too afraid of father"

"How can I understand that?"

Cincia came closer until her mouth was only a few inches away from his ear. Her voice was barely louder than a whisper. "Father is manipulating mother. He forces his will on her. He is telling her that you are a shame and he forbids her to see you. He has also convinced our older siblings to think the same way as he does"

"So, father is stirring up the entire family against me?"

"Not all of us share his opinion. Sindor and I don't share it. We never say something bad about you and we know what he says about you is not true. He is a liar"

Kelrian ran his fingers through her hair, smiling at her. "At least you and Sindor still regard me as your brother. That's better than nothing"

"Don't worry" responded Cincia. "We will never turn our backs on you, we will never betray you"

Kelrian caressed his sister's cheeks, placing a kiss on her forehead. "I wish I could talk to you more but I came here to visit mother. I hope she is alright"

"Her condition has become better over the past days but she still hasn't fully recovered from the shock. She hasn't talked with anyone within the first two days. At least she has started to speak again but she doesn't speak much" told Cincia.

Kelrian nodded to his sister. "I will see it myself but thanks for the update. Is father at home?"

"Yes, he is. So are Sydori and Seitor"

"Where are they?"

"They are in the backyard. They collect some herbs for a tea for mother"

"Then I have to make sure that I will leave this house without getting seen by one of them. I shouldn't stay for too long. I will only stay as long as necessary"

"Shall I accompany you?"

"I appreciate your offer but it's better if you look after father and our older siblings. It would be pretty helpful if you manage to distract them if they want to go to mother"

"I will try my best but I can't guarantee anything"

Kelrian gave her a thankful smile. "I don't expect anything. I only hope that I will manage to pay mother a visit without getting involved in another drama"

"I hope that as well. I will see what I can do for you. Hopefully, I can distract them long enough"

Kelrian caressed her head softly. "You are a very clever and imaginative person, I'm pretty sure you will find a way"

She smiled "Probably"

He returned her smile. He followed her through the corridor to the stairs which led them to the second level. They climbed the stairs and followed the bordering corridor until they came to their parents' room. Cincia knocked at the door, saying her name as their mother asked who was knocking. Their mother told her to come in so Cincia pushed the door opened, entering the room together with Kelrian.

Kelrian's eyes checked the inside of the room as soon as he had stepped in. He noticed that the room didn't change at all over the years. There were wardrobes in front of the left wall and shelves in front of the right wall. There was a king-sized bed on the other side of the room. Kelrian's eyes widened as spotted his mother.

She was lying in the bed, her body was covered by a blanket. Her right arm was uninjured and rested on the blanket, her other arm was hidden beneath the blanket. Her head rested on a pillow, her gaze hung on the ceiling.

Kelrian noticed that his sister had already left the room as his mother spoke her name. "I'm not Cincia" said Kelrian, his voice was lower than usual. His mother lifted her head, looking at Kelrian. Her expressionless look didn't change as she regarded him closely. At least she didn't seem to be angry that he had returned home. She was silent for the first five minutes but then her lips moved, whispering his name. Her lips, which were as pale as her face, formed a small smile as he became closer and kneeled next to her.

He took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips. He kissed the back of her hand softly, a worried look was visible on his face as he regarded her. She was not only pale, but she also looked very weak. Her blue eyes reflected sorrow. The glowing of her eyes was weaker, her once golden hair was lustreless and its colour had become pale blonde. Kelrian could only assume that she must have had a very traumatic experience. He was sure she must have witnessed worse than just losing her forearm.

He didn't want to imagine what had happened when the trolls had attacked her group. A lot of things could have happened. Sylvanas had told him that her entire group had been was the only survivor which meant that she might have witnessed the deaths of the others. Witnessing the deaths of her friends could have been the traumatic experience which had caused these changes. Kelrian didn't want to imagine how he would feel if his friends would have been killed in front of his eyes. He didn't want to imagine how much the deaths of his friends would have affected and changed him. His mother must have been through hell and it was a real wonder she had survived. Every other member of her unit fell but she survived.

Kelrian realized that he had held her hand for a while without saying anything. He found his mother regarding him curiously. "Kelrian" she said, her voice sounded husky and weak. Kelrian leaned forward until he could hear her quiet breaths. "Mother" he responded but didn't say anything else. He had no clue what to say to her.

Should he apologize to her? Tell her how sorry he was? Tell her that everything will become better? Should he comfort her? Give her hope? Tell her that she was still able to work as a priestess? Tell her that even with only one arm she could be useful?

He was still unsure of what to say. He didn't notice that he was frowning and making a thoughtful face. His body was tensed up and he was holding his mother's hand tighter than necessary. She didn't say anything even though he was hurting her a bit. She cleared her throat, causing that he was brought out of his thoughts. He let go of her hand, regarding her without saying anything. She put her hand on his left cheek, giving him a weak smile as she caressed his left cheek.

He managed to speak after a while "I'm so sorry"

"You don't need to be sorry. You are not responsible for what happened to me and my group. You did nothing wrong, my dear"

"If only I would have known that these bastards would ambush your group... I would have slaughtered them all before they would have even come near you" he responded, his voice reflected hatred and sorrow.

"They were too many, not even you wouldn't have been able to defeat them alone, no matter how good you are"

"But I would have made a difference. More people would have survived if I would have been there"

"That might be true but no one saw it coming. You had other tasks to do. I've heard that you have helped the Ranger-General to capture a gang of drug dealers. Not only trolls and orcs harm and kill our people. Illegal drugs do that too"

Kelrian was silent, not knowing what to say. He was grieving, even though his mother was still alive. He was angry. Angry at himself, because he was not there to protect his mother. He was also angry at the trolls who were invading Quel'Thalas over and over again. He would slaughter every single troll if he would have the chance to do that. Unfortunately, he was not strong enough to kill every single troll alone. But he was not alone. There were thousands of rangers and warriors who couldn't wait to avenge the fallen. The trolls will pay for their crimes. Sooner or later they will be defeated by the high elves and the Alliance of Lordaeron. Kelrian was pretty sure about that.

His mother was still caressing his cheek, smiling at him. "You need to know that I'm proud of you" she said. "I've always been" she added as she noticed that he raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you hated me. I thought you also regard me as a shame. I thought you share the same opinion as father, Seitor and Sydori"

"I never did. I've never said something bad to you or insulted you, right?"

"Now that you say it...You are right. You never did that but you didn't stop father from doing it, nor did you try to convince him that his way of looking at things is wrong. He repelled me but you didn't do anything to stop him" spoke Kelrian. He noticed the hurt look on his mother's face and the tears in the corners of her eyes. He realized that he had sounded stricter than he had wanted. He had accused her even though he hadn't wanted to do that. He regretted it immediately. He apologized to her but she responded that there was nothing he had to apologize for.

"I deserve getting insulted. I've been a terrible mother"

"You were not" interrupted Kelrian. "Not always at least. Cincia told me that father has forced you to behave the way he wanted you to. She told me that he left you no other choice than supporting him. Cincia also told me that he has forbidden you to see me. Is that true?"

His mother avoided eye contact, for the first few minutes at least. Then she looked at him, her eyes roamed over his shape. They returned to his face, staring into his eyes. "It's true" she said quietly. "I've been weak. I have been too afraid that he might freak out if I would contradict him... I was too afraid that..." but then she stopped, she didn't speak any further. Kelrian waited that she would finish her sentence after a short pause but she didn't.

"Were you afraid that he might hit you? He wouldn't do that, would he? Father may be strict but he doesn't hit women, does he?" Kelrian asked, his voice reflected confusion and shock. He was hoping that this wasn't true. His father might be an asshole but he had never considered him to be a violent asshole. He didn't want to imagine him threatening his mother. He would never forgive him if that would turn out to be true. He was already angry at his father because he had repelled him and thrown him out of the house. If his assumption would turn out to be true then...

His mother didn't say anything in response. She stared at the ceiling, pretending that she didn't hear it. This was enough for Kelrian to interpret that his assumption was true. He had no official statement from her but the way she behaved told him everything he needed to know. First what Cincia had said and now that. There was no way his father was not pressuring his mother to do whatever he wanted. Nevertheless, Kelrian had no clue what he will do with these pieces of information. He knew that a confrontation with his father would lead to nowhere except for a loud, hot-headed argument.

He came to the conclusion that it was the best to not say anything at first. He will talk with Liadrin, maybe he could try to convince his mother to come with him but first, she needed some rest and get stronger. He regarded his mother for a few moments, not saying anything. He put his hands on her cheeks, caressing them. She turned her head, giving him a small smile as she looked at him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"It could be better but it could also be worse. I'm glad that I survived this massacre. I feel pretty weak and my arm... It's hard to get used to not be able to feel half of my left arm. I don't think I will ever be able to fight again" she responded, her voice sounded very sad.

"Can I see your arm?" he asked carefully, not sure how she would react.

She didn't say anything in response but she nodded to him. Kelrian pulled the blanket down, revealing the rest of her left arm. The entire forearm was missing, the rest was wrapped up in a bandage. The bandage wasn't bloody, meaning the wound had been treated properly.

"I wish I could change things" Kelrian muttered after a while.

"Sometimes we can't change the present or the past. Sometimes we have to accept how things are. I have lost my sword hand which means I will never be able to fight again, or at least, I will never be as good as I was before the ambush. But I can live with that. At least, I can still heal others with only one hand. You have to see things from the positive side. That's the most important thing you have to do when you want to come to terms with something. May it be the past or something else"

Kelrian nodded to her, signalizing her that he understood what she meant. He took her hand in his, gently caressing its back while regarding her curiously.

"Back to what I have wanted to say. I have never..." she started but the loud sound, which was produced when the door was slammed against the wall as it was opened forcefully, interrupted her. She turned her head, her eyes widened as she looked at the person who was standing in the door. Kelrian turned his head, wondering who was there. His eyes widened when he recognized the person.

It was no other than his father Xenarion who was having a very angry expression on his face. His eyes were narrowed and his face reflected anger. He gritted his teeth, his hands were clenched into fists. It was unmistakable that his whole body was tensed. Except for the anger which was reflected by his face, no other emotion was visible.

Kelrian stood up to his full height, regarding his father from head to toe. He was half a head taller than his father but it that didn't impress or intimidate the older man. Xenarion still stood on the same spot, regarding Kelrian and his mother closely.

"You just got yourself into serious trouble" he spoke, his voice sounded dangerous.


	21. Liberation

Kelrian's father still stood in the door, preventing that Kelrian, who had gotten up in the meantime, could leave the room.

_You have just gotten yourself into serious trouble_ he had said. Kelrian knew his father well enough so he knew he was serious about this. He had no clue what his father would do but he had a bad feeling about what could happen.

"I've told you what will happen if you dare to return to my house" he hissed, regarding his son with narrowed eyes.

Kelrian didn't say anything. He remained next to the bed where his mother was lying, regarding his father closely. He was prepared for the case his father would do a rash move. But he didn't. Instead, he crossed his arms in front of his chest as he regarded his son from head to toe.

"What are you doing here and why are you wearing that rag?" he hissed, pointing at Kelrian's ranger uniform. Kelrian didn't turn a hair as he listened to the insults. He didn't say anything in response, not even after his father had finally managed to stop talking.

"I would advise you to leave my house as fast as possible and never return"

Kelrian's response was short and simple. "No"

"No?" his father roared out, his face turned red with rage. "What do you mean with no?"

"I will only leave the house after I've spent some time with my mother" he responded. His voice sounded monotonous, his facial expression was impassive.

"Your mother doesn't want to see you"

Kelrian turned his head, looking at his mother who was staring at the blanket which covered her body. "I don't believe that for a second. She would have already sent me away or called for help if she didn't want me around"

"Bullshit" his father hissed as he made a step towards his son.

"Tell him the truth, mother" spoke Kelrian. His voice sounded soft and comforting. His mother took a deep breath, looking at Kelrian for a few moments before she looked at her husband. "Xenarion, my dear... You may not want to accept it but he is speaking the truth. I want him around and I can't expel him anymore. He is my son. OUR son. There is no reason to hate him and regard him as unworthy. He is our blood. He is..."

"SHUT UP, WOMAN. I HAVE NOT ASKED FOR YOUR BLOODY OPINION" shouted Xenarion, silencing his wife effectively. His furious look, his gritted teeth and his loud and strong voice were enough to intimidate her and cause her to crawl under her blanket. Kelrian noticed out of the corner of his eyes that her entire body trembled. She was afraid. Afraid of her own husband. Kelrian was right with his assumption.

This was the last piece of the puzzle which was missing. Xenarion intimidated his wife to get his will. Threating her with violence was his way of proceeding **.** It was the way of a bastard. Xenarion was nothing more than a bastard and a weakling who was taking advantage of his physical strength.

He may be a male but Kelrian was pretty sure that his mother would be physically stronger than him, at least with two arms. She was a paladin so she had been trained in combat. His father, on the other hand, was just a high ranked priest so he was not very good in close combat. His mother could have been able to defend herself if her husband would have become violent. But she had never resisted and never told him her opinion. Instead, she had endured his tyranny. She was too afraid of what he might do.

But that will end. Kelrian will make sure that his father will never speak to his mother like that. He won't leave until his father will treat her with the necessary respect and promise to never threaten her again.

"Don't you dare speak to her like that. She is your wife and my mother" Kelrian said, his voice was low and sounded dangerous. "You have no right to treat her like that. She is not your slave"

Xenarion tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. "What did you say?" he asked. Kelrian repeated what he had said. His voice was louder than before but not too loud and his eyes rested on his father.

"YOU DARE TO ENTER MY HOUSE AND SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT? IT SEEMS THAT I FORGOT TO TEACH YOU RESPECT" Xenarion roared out. He came closer until he was only about twenty feet away from the ranger.

"You taught me a lot, father. You taught me respect towards others who deserve it. But you don't deserve my respect or my mother's, not if you intimidate her, hit her and treat her like your willing slave. You are nothing more than a violent asshole who uses brute force and intimidation to get what you want. You don't deserve anyone's respect" Kelrian responded as he stared into his father's furious blue eyes.

"Enough of this bullshit" he hissed as he stepped forward, raising his arm.

"Xenarion... Please, stop it... before you ruin everything"Liana begged, her voice was weak.

"I am ruining everything? You are the one who gave birth to this unworthy piece of shit. You have ruined everything"

"He is still your son. He is still OUR son"

"He is your son. I don't believe for a second that he is mine. Look at him. He is the only member of our family who is unable to use the light. He can't be a son of mine. I have only fathered children who became either priests or paladins. Even his younger siblings are able to use the light. There is only one logical explanation. He is not my son which means that you have cheated on me. He has to be the son of someone else"

Kelrian didn't say anything. He was not shocked or surprised. On the contrary, he was oddly calm. He didn't believe his father's lies. He didn't believe anything his father was saying. His words meant nothing to him. He ignored them.

But his mother couldn't ignore them. Kelrian looked at her, noticing that she had tears in her eyes. He assumed that it really hurt her that her husband believed that she hadn't been loyal to him.

Xenarion didn't deign to look at her. He didn't care that his false accusations had really hurt her. He didn't care what hearing such false accusation would do to the woman who was already traumatized because of the horrible events of the past days she had witnessed. He didn't stop insulting his son and his mother - his own wife. Rage had taken control over him so he was not able to stop himself. It was the rage who led him to charge at Kelrian, intending to hit him.

But Kelrian saw it coming. He knew that his father was intending to hit him, so he reacted quickly, ducking beneath his father's attack went into the air,surprising him. Xenarion tried to hit him again but the ranger had been taught by Sylvanas Windrunner, the best ranger of Quel'Thalas, so it was easy for him to dodge the next attack.

He moved behind his father but he didn't attack, even though he had the perfect opportunity to hit him in the back. "This is my last warning. Let me go and promise to never lay your dirty hands on my mother again, otherwise... Well, otherwise it will hurt you pretty badly if you try to hit me again"

Xenarion was too angry to keep a cool head. He didn't think over the whole situation, instead, he launched himself at Kelrian, intending to push him to the ground.

Kelrian intended to prove his father that rangers weren't just pathetic woodmen who lived in the forest and searched through the dirt for traces. Xenarion had always regarded the Farstriders as scum who are nothing more than hunters. He had despised them for all of his life and this despise had grown when Kelrian had joined them.

But this was the moment where Kelrian could prove him wrong. He could prove that rangers were very powerful fighters who were very important for society. They did their best to protect people from all dangers. In this case,his mother stood for the people and his father for the danger. And Kelrian would protect his mother by every means.

He countered his father's leap attack, grabbing his arm in the same moment where he made a step to the side. He turned his body, throwing his father over his shoulder in the same movement. A loud groan escaped Xenarion's lips as he landed on the hard floor. He was too shocked at this very moment to do anything, so Kelrian took advantage of this opportunity. He kneeled next to his father, tying his arms and legs together before he was able to do something. He used a piece of cloth, he had taken out of the sewing box of his mother, as a gag and put it in his father's mouth.

Xenarion tried to get free but he didn't manage it. It was impossible to get rid of these provisional ties without someone's help. He was shouting something but the gag muffled it and made it unintelligible. His furious eyes rested on Kelrian but the young man didn't care. He gave his father one last look before he turned around, walking to the bed. He pulled the blanket away, lifting his mother up. She was surprised at first but then she stood up, without asking her son what he was intending to do. She trusted him, so she allowed him to guide her out of the room.

But Kelrian didn't only guide her out of the room. He guided her through the corridor, climbed down the stairs with her and guided her through the house's exit. He told Cincia to look for Sindor and bring him to them as fast as possible. Cincia gave their mother a confused look, wondering what was going on. Their mother didn't say anything, she just nodded to her youngest daughter. Cincia hesitated for a few moments but then rushed upstairs.

She returned a few minutes later with Sindor who was holding her hand, a confused look was also visible on his young face. Kelrian waved at them, telling them to get closer. "What is going on?" asked the forty-seven years old teenager.

Kelrian kneeled next to him so that his face was on the same height as Sindor's face. "I will explain everything later but for now we need to go"

"But..." Cincia said but she didn't finish her sentence as she spotted the horse which was tied to a tree not far away from their house.

"You know how to ride, right?" Kelrian asked Cincia.

"I do but why do you ask?"

"You know where Liadrin's house is, right?"

Cincia nodded.

"You need to take mother and Sindor to her house. I will join you later and explain everything. Do you trust me?" Kelrian said, staring into her eyes.

"I do trust you"

"Good, let's go then"

Kelrian guided them to the horse, helping them to climb up. He made sure that they were steady in the saddle before he handed the reins to his younger sister. He gave her a key, telling her that she will need it to get in Liadrin's house. He looked at them for the last time before he hit the horse on its rear, causing that it started to move. He waited until the horse was out of his sight, then he followed the path they had taken.

* * *

Liadrin unlocked the door, opened it with one hand and turned around so she could keep the door open with her back while both of her hands were holding two bags, which were filled with food and other stuff. She pushed the door open, stepping into the entrance hall. The first things she saw were the strange pairs of shoes which were standing in front of her shoe cupboard. She frowned, regarding the pairs closely. She was sure that two of these pairs belonged to women while the last pair belonged to a man.

Her first assumption was that Kelrian had invited some guests and forgot to inform her on the previous day. She walked through the entrance hall, shouting her cousin's name. She met him as she entered the living room, his hair was as wet as hers, same counted for his clothes.

Like Liadrin, Kelrian hadn't managed to get home before the storm had started. The rain was falling heavily, the wind was blowing heavily, causing that the branches of the trees were getting could hear the raindrops drumming against the windows and the roof, and the whistle of the wind. She was even able to hear the quiet thundering in the far. A thunderstorm was approaching, she was pretty sure of that.

She regarded Kelrian for a few moments, giving him a questionable look. "You haven't warned me that you will bring visitors with you today"

Kelrian pursed his lips, considering what he should say. He was silent for a few moments but then he gave Liadrin an answer. "It happened spontaneously, to be honest. I haven't planned on bringing them to your house but I saw no other option"

"You mean because of the rain?" Liadrin asked.

Kelrian didn't say anything in response, he pointed behind him, telling Liadrin to follow him. She did that, putting the bags, she was still carrying, on the table in the middle of the room. Kelrian pointed at the couch on the right side of the room. Liadrin made a curious face as she turned around to look at the direction he had pointed at. Her face reflected surprise as she saw her aunt Liana and her other cousins sitting on her couch.

"Oh, hi..." she said, not knowing what else to say. "It has been a while since we last met"

Liana nodded, standing up immediately. Liadrin's eyes fell on her arm stump, her facial expression changed from surprise to compassion. Of course, she had heard about the massacre near the village where Liana had been stationed so she knew what had happened to her. Hearing what happened to her was one thing but seeing what happened to her was totally different.

Liadrin had been shocked when she had heard about what had happened to her aunt. Now that she was seeing her, she was even more shocked. She didn't say anything, she just stared at Liana. The older woman's comfortable smile was enough to cause Liadrin to relax eventually. She wasn't shocked anymore but she still felt bad about her.

Liadrin found her voice eventually, giving her aunt and her cousins a small smile. "It's good to see you. I'm really sorry about what happened to you. I..."

Liana lifted her hand, stopping Liadrin from speaking any further. "It's okay. I'm a soldier so I knew that this could happen. To be honest, I was pretty lucky. It could have been worse. I could have lost the entire arm. I also could have died"

"That's true. But I assume it's pretty hard to live with only one hand, not to mention that you wouldn't be able to fight without your sword hand"

"It is hard indeed but I will get used to it. I have to"

Liadrin gave her an understanding nod. "I hope you will manage it". She regarded her family for a few moments, still wondering why they were visiting Kelrian and her. "We haven't seen each other in ten maybe fifteen years if I remember correctly so it really makes me curious why you are visiting us now"

Once again, Liadrin scrutinized her aunt and cousins. It came in her mind that they weren't wet which meant that they had arrived earlier than Kelrian. They hadn't come with him so she interpreted that they must have come on their own to this place. At first, she had thought that Kelrian had guided them to her house. She had thought that he wanted to visit them somewhere his father and older siblings would never go. Now she was not sure what was going on. Nothing made sense for her.

Liadrin noticed that Liana wanted to say something but Kelrian was faster. "They are not here because they are visiting us for a day"

Liadrin frowned, signalizing him to explain what was going on. Kelrian tried his best to explain everything as simple and as quick as possible. In the end, he had needed half an hour to make Liadrin understood in which situation they were in. Liadrin made a thoughtful face, rubbing her chin as she considered what to say in return.

"You can stay here as long as you want"

Liana's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you sure?"

Liadrin smiled. "Of course I am. We may have had our differences in the past but we are still family, aren't we?"

"Of course we are" said Cincia, smiling happily.

Liadrin pointed at her. "See"

"Thank you so much, Liadrin"

"You are welcome, my dear. Come, I will show you your rooms while Kelrian will change clothes so he doesn't make my carpet wet"

Kelrian nodded to her, waiting until she had left the room with his mother and siblings, then he headed to his room.

A few days passed where nothing noteworthy happened. His mother and siblings slowly got used to living in their new home. They were glad that Liadrin allowed them to stay here because they wouldn't know where else to live. They couldn't live in their former home anymore. Kelrian would never leave his mother and his younger siblings in a household where violence and intimidation were tolerated. He had sworn to protect his family no matter what would happen.

His father and his older siblings may still belong to his family but only by law. He didn't regard them as members of his family anymore, not since he had found out that his older siblings tolerated their father's behaviour. Kelrian still couldn't believe that his father had hit his wife or threatened her whenever she had disagreed with something.

The worst thing was that his siblings had never said anything or did anything against it. In his opinion, they were the worst children a mother could imagine. Kelrian had never hated them before, not even after they had started to treat him like a piece of shit. But since his mother had told him everything, he detested them.

Same counted for his father. He was the worst. He didn't deserve his mother. He never had. Nevertheless, she had loved him. Loved him for a reason Kelrian couldn't understand. He could only assume that his father had been a different person back then when he had met his mother. He was really hoping that. Otherwise, he had no idea what his mother had seen in him. Maybe she had just been blinded by love.

It didn't matter for Kelrian what she had felt for him back then. He was just glad that she had realized who he truly was. He was an asshole. She had always ignored that in the past but now she wasn't ignoring it anymore. She had opened her eyes and unofficially left this asshole for the greater good.

Kelrian was sitting in the living room, eating a few grapes while thinking of Sylvanas. He hadn't seen her for a few days because she was too busy with paperwork and other necessary stuff. She was so busy that she hadn't left her office in five days. Verena had told him that she was busy considering how to improve the defence system in Quel'Thalas. She had told him that Sylvanas regarded it as her personal failure whenever a group of trolls or orcs manage to sneak past the patrols and get deeper than expected into the territory of the high elves.

Kelrian knew that it was impossible to cover every corner of Quel'Thalas because the Farstriders didn't have enough men for that. They could only cover up the most important places, so there were some areas which were only covered up by one or two patrols while the important areas were covered by five to six groups each.

He wished he could help Sylvanas. He wished he could see her and help her relax a bit. She must be really stressed. On the other hand, he would only distract Sylvanas with his presence so it was probably better that he wouldn't meet her until she had found a solution.

Verena had also told him that she visited Sylvanas from time to time to help her, not to mention she made sure Sylvanas ate enough and got enough sleep. Nobody wanted to meet a Sylvanas who was in a bad mood, was hungry and really tired. Kelrian was hoping Sylvanas would finish her work soon so he didn't need to wait too long to see her again.

He stood up after a while, walking to the door which led to the house's backyard. He opened it but he didn't walk out of it. He just stood there and regarded his siblings who were following their mother's instructions and healed an injured animal. They weren't ready yet to attend the examinations for becoming an apprentice of a priest **,** nevertheless were they able to use the holy light to treat smaller wounds. Whenever Kelrian's parents and older siblings had had the time, they had trained him, Cincia and Sindor. Kelrian had never managed to do what his family had wanted him to do. He had never been able to heal a mouse or a cat. He had tried hard but he had always failed.

His younger siblings, on the other hand, were able to heal smaller animals. Kelrian had to admit he had been jealous at first when he had discovered that Cincia and Sindor were able to use the holy light while he was not. But the more time had passed, the less jealous he had become. He had accepted that his destiny was not to become a priest or a paladin. Unlike the rest of his family, it was not his destiny to serve the light. He was able to choose his own destiny and he had chosen to become a Farstrider. He had chosen this destiny even though it would mean that half of his family would hate him while the other half would side with him.

He had never wanted that his family would split because of him. He wished his family could live together in peace without needing to quarrel. It was not his fault that things were like this **.** He had never asked for not being able to use the holy light nor had he ever asked for a father who would be so intolerant and manipulative. His father had incited his oldest son and daughter against his middle son. He was an arrogant, superficial, violent asshole and there was no hope that he will ever change.

Kelrian had accepted that so had his mother and younger siblings. Liadrin had allowed them to stay in her house as long as they wanted. Staying forever was also an option but Kelrian's mother was not sure if she wanted that. A lot of things had been going through her mind during the past days. She was pretty sure that leaving her husband had been the right decision but she was unsure what to do in the future.

She had no idea where to live, what to do about her husband and oldest children and she had no idea if she will ever be able to fight again. She had lost her sword hand so she would never be as good in fighting as she had been before. No matter how much she will practise fighting with her other hand, she will never reach her previous level. She will always have a disadvantage whenever she would fight.

Maybe it was the best if she would become a priestess and focus on helping the wounded. This way she could be useful and help others. It made more sense than dying against an opponent who didn't care about her disadvantage. She will find a quick death if she would keep fighting as a paladin. Becoming a priestess was the only real option she had.

Kelrian regarded his family for a few minutes before he returned to the living room. He was about to go to the fridge, to get something other than fruits to eat, as he heard knocks. He turned his head to the direction where the knocks came from, realizing that someone was knocking at the front door. He didn't hesitate to leave the living room, coming to the entrance hall. He opened the door, spotting two village guards. There was a woman with long black hair, whose nose and ears were pierced. Next to her stood a man with long brown hair who had a tattoo in the form of the sun on his neck. Both of them were wearing blue and golden coloured armours. The armours of the Silvermoon Guards.

Kelrian regarded them, wondering why they were knocking at Liadrin's door. "How can I help you?" he asked, giving them a curious look.

"I'm Captain Verosa and that is Soldier Jen" the woman said, pointing at herself and then at the man. "We are here to investigate something"

Kelrian raised an eyebrow, frowning at them. "What?"

"Are you Kelrian Sunsinger?"

"Yes, I am"

"And your father is Xenarion Sunsinger?"

"Unfortunately, yes"

"Your father has reported to us that you have kidnapped your mother and your younger siblings"


	22. Consequences

_Kidnapped?_

_Your father has reported to us that you have kidnapped your mother and your younger siblings._

These were the words Captain Verosa had said to him. Kelrian blinked, wondering if he was hallucinating this situation. Unfortunately, he wasn't. That meant this was real. His father had accused him of having kidnapped his mother and his younger siblings against their will.

If someone who knew Kelrian would have heard that, that person would have burst into laughter. Kelrian was a friendly person who was not the biggest fan of violence. He would never force anyone to do anything he didn't want to do. He wouldn't do that to anyone, especially not to his family. He loved his family, at least those who didn't treat him like rubbish.

He couldn't believe that his father had done that. His father was a lot of things but Kelrian had never thought he would give the guards false information. Kelrian didn't kidnap his family. His mother, Cincia and Sindor had followed him voluntarily. They could have left Liadrin's house at any time but they didn't because they didn't want to return to their father. But his father was seeing things differently. He didn't know the truth, so he thought Kelrian had kidnapped them. He had told the guards so they had come to Liadrin's house to find out what was going on.

A loud sigh escaped Kelrian's lips. "Of course, he did that" he muttered. He took a deep breath, regarding the guards for a moment before he spoke. "There must a mistake. I didn't kidnap anyone"

"We believe you" Verosa said, pausing for a few moments. "Nevertheless, your father sought us for a reason. We haven't accused you of anything, we just want to find out what is going on"

"I understand that" Kelrian responded.

"May we come in?" asked Jen.

"This is not my house, I'm only living in it but I don't think my cousin has anything against it" he stepped aside, signalizing them to come in. They didn't hesitate to enter the house, checking their surroundings as they followed Kelrian. He brought them to the living room where Liadrin was sitting on an armchair. She got up as she saw the guards entering the room, making a surprised face. She walked over to them, greeting them by their names.

"What is going on?" she asked.

Captain Verosa explained everything.

Liadrin shook her head, showing everyone that she didn't believe Kelrian could kidnap anyone. "That's a lie" she said. "Kelrian didn't kidnap them. The joined him voluntarily. They are in the backyard so you can ask them if they got kidnapped"

"We will do that" replied Verosa. "But first we want to know why they have been living in this place for a few days. They lived in their father's house until a few days ago, so it surprises us that they change places from one day to the other"

Kelrian explained to them what had happened in the house. He emphasized his father's negative behaviour, telling the guards what a kind of an asshole he was. The guards were silent at first, not knowing what to say. Then Verosa spoke after she had found the right words. "I can understand your decision and we approve it as long as your mother and siblings came with you voluntarily. We believe you, nevertheless we want to ask your family a few questions. We hope that is okay for you"

"It's fine for me, go ahead. As Liadrin said, they are in the backyard.

Kelrian followed them, watching them questioning his family. As expected, his mother, Cincia and Sindor told the guards that they weren't forced to live there and that they could to return to their original home whenever they wanted. They also told them that they didn't want to return there because of the way Xenarion was behaving. Liana also told the guards how he had intimidated her and forced her to do what he wanted. She mentioned that she had been always afraid he would have hit her if she wouldn't have agreed with him.

According to her, his misbehaviour had begun a few years before Kelrian had attended the first priest examination. He had changed over the years. He had become a different person. A person Liana didn't recognize anymore. He was not the man anymore she had fallen in love with over one hundred and fifty years ago. The smart, sensitive, funny and just man she had known was gone. Replaced by an arrogant, abusive, narcissistic and violent asshole. With tears in her eyes, she told the guards everything she knew.

The guards understood the sorrow she was feeling. They understood that she hated herself because she had allowed that her husband would treat one of their children like rubbish. She felt guilty. She was angry at herself that she hadn't stopped her husband, that she hadn't been brave enough to stand up to even called herself a terrible mother.

Kelrian approached her as she was done speaking. He hugged her and whispered soothing words in her ears. He embraced her until her insecurity, self-hatred, sorrow and all other negative emotions had vanished. He held her a few minutes longer than necessary, only letting her go when he was sure she was alright.

He turned to the guards, noticing that they were regarding them with weak smiles on their lips. They told Kelrian and his family they will report to their superiors that no one got kidnapped and everything was alright **.** Kelrian gave them a thankful nod, smiling at them. Verosa returned the smile, looking at her subordinate who signalized her that he was ready for departure.

They excused themselves for troubling Kelrian and his family but he told them that everything was alright. They were only doing their work after all. There was no reason to be mad at them. The guards said goodbye and left the house eventually, leaving the family at peace.

* * *

It was almost midnight when Kelrian walked through the side streets of Suncrown Village. It was so dark that Kelrian barely recognized his surroundings. He had to narrow his eyes and stare longer at a spot to recognize what was there. That meant he needed more time to walk through the side streets.

He regretted that he had made a trip to the nearest lake. Everything would have been fine if he wouldn't have fallen asleep while sunbathing. He wouldn't need to wander around in the dark, hoping that he would find the right street which would lead him home if he would have returned home before the sunset.

But now it was too late to change anything. He could only give his best to get home without getting lost. Taking the wrong turning would only cost him lots of time so he had decided to find out first where he was before he would choose a path.

He walked for a while, noticing that he had gotten lost again. He was near the market square which he had crossed three times within the past hour. He wished he had a torch with him. A light source would really help him. He was also wishing that he had the abilities of a priest or a paladin so he could create a small sphere of light which could lighten up the area. Unfortunately, he was not able to do that.

Kelrian had never seen a night before which was darker than this night. He found it odd, wondering why the sky was so much darker. Unlike every other night, this night showed a sky without stars. For some reason not a single star was visible. Kelrian had never witnessed such a dark night before. Even though he was not superstitious,he was worried about the meaning of such a rare occurrence. The total dark sky was some sort of a phenomenon which wouldn't happen again so soon.

He muttered a few words to himself, then he averted his gaze from the sky and started walking. He returned to the main street, following its course. He knew that he would need longer to get home if he would take the main street. He would arrive earlier at home if he would take the side streets during day time. The side streets were not enlightened so it was easy to get lost which had already happened three times. He regretted having taken the side streets. He would have been already at Liadrin's house if he would have followed the main street but he had been too impatient so he had decided to follow the side streets instead. He shook his head about his own foolishness, increasing his tempo as he left the market square.

He walked for half an hour, coming to a crossroad. He followed the left path, ignoring the scary sounds which could be heard from time to time. He was a brave man so he didn't get intimidated by the weird sounds which echoed through the air. He arrived at the district where his father, older brother and older sister still lived. Three weeks had passed since Kelrian's mother and younger siblings had moved out. He hadn't heard anything so far from the rest of his family.

He was glad that he hadn't seen his father during the past weeks. He didn't want to meet his father. He was not afraid of him, no matter how loud and violent he could be. He was only afraid that his father might come with some of his friends and drag his mother and younger siblings back to his house. He couldn't even be sure if his father wouldn't be violent. He feared he might hit his mother if they would meet again one day.

Fortunately, more guards were stationed near Liadrin's house so they would notice when Kelrian's father would try something. Nevertheless, Kelrian felt a bit uneasy when thinking about what his father could do. At least, his family never left the house alone so the chance, that Kelrian's father would spot them and drag them to his house, was a lot smaller.

Kelrian rushed past his father's house, not deigning to look at it. He followed the bordering street, coming to a smaller, much thinner street. Normally the street was enlightened by street lamps but today, for some reason, the lamps which stood along the street were out. Not a single street lamp radiated light. A quiet sigh escaped Kelrian's lips as he realized that he had to walk carefully again. He slowed down his walking speed, his eyes rested on the ground to make sure he wouldn't stumble over something. He followed the street until he came to the district where Liadrin's house was.

Only a few houses stood in the district, all of them were a lot larger than most houses in the village. Liadrin's house was on the opposite side of the square which was directly in front of him. Kelrian noticed that even the large lamp in the middle of the square was not functioning. He also noticed that no guards were near the square which was very odd. Normally, about six guards were stationed in the near of the square but on this day, no one was there.

Kelrian walked to the square's middle, stopping as he heard footsteps. He turned around slowly, trying to recognize who had followed him. He needed a few moments to recognize the vague shapes of three persons.

It was too dark to see who they were. He wasn't even able to recognize what they were wearing. He only recognized their shapes so he interpreted that all of them were males and all of them carried long and thick objects. He didn't need to think twice to find out the purpose of these objects - Their purpose was to hurt someone very badly.

"Who are you guys?" asked Kelrian loudly. One of his hand wandered slowly to his belt, checking if his daggers still hung on it. For some reason, he could only find one of his two daggers. He must have lost the other somewhere... Maybe it was lying near the lake. Maybe he had lost it when he had stumbled over a root in the forest near the lake.

He didn't know where he had lost it but that didn't matter anymore. He had left his bow and his swords at home. He wasn't even wearing his uniform, instead, he wore casual clothes. A green vest and brown trousers. There was no armour which could protect him and he had no weapon which could keep up with the long objects.

Kelrian turned his head a bit, looking at Liadrin's house which was three hundred feet away from him. He looked back at the shapes, assuming they were about one hundred and fifty feet away. He didn't know what they wanted from him but he assumed the worst. He had two options. Talk to them or run. He was a pretty good sprinter so he assumed he would reach the house and unlock the door before the strangers would catch up to him.

He made a few steps backwards, asking them again who they were and what they wanted. They didn't answer but they started to move as they realized that he was moving away from them. Kelrian turned around, running as fast as he could. He turned his head from time to time to look at them. They were following him but they weren't as fast as him. He came closer and closer to the house, leaving half the distance behind him in short time.

He turned his head again after leaving behind a third of the remaining distance. He noticed that his pursuers were still after him but the distance between them and him had been increased. He was running faster than expected. He turned his head eventually and looked at the house which was not far away from him. He saw the stretched-out arm, which was one the same height as his chest, too late so he ran directly into it. He expected that his body weight would push the arm away but it didn't. Instead, he fell to the ground.

A pained scream escaped Kelrian's lips as his head hit the floor. But not only his head hurt, his entire back hurt as well. Kelrian writhed in pain for the first few moments. The pain didn't vanish but at least his body had gotten used to it quickly so Kelrian was able to move again. He tried to get up but the man who had thrown him to the ground pushed him back.

Again, Kelrian landed on the ground. This time he didn't hit his head but that didn't make his situation better. He was lying on the ground, a muscular elf, whose face was hidden behind by a white mask, stood right in front of him and regarded him curiously. Kelrian's pursuers arrived a few moments later, surrounding him.

Kelrian turned his head, scrutinizing them quickly. Half of their faces were covered by scarves but their blue glowing eyes and their long ears weren't covered. Even though their faces were half-covered, Kelrian was able to recognize one of them. One of these men had a scar above his left eyebrow. This scar had a unique form, which he had seen before. Kelrian knew who this man was. It was a friend of his father. He didn't know his name but he had seen him more than once before.

Kelrian came to the conclusion that his father must be responsible for this attack. maybe because he wanted him to suffer for taking his family. These men were armed with clubs and their eyes told him Kelrian they will hurt him.

He covered his head with his arms as they started to assault him with their fists, feet and clubs. They hit him and kicked him, their lips under their masks formed pleased smiles, as they heard his screams. Bones broke, blood flowed, screams echoed through the air. Lights in some rooms of the surrounding houses were turned on, shapes of persons looked out of the windows but no one dared to come out.

No one except for Liadrin and Liana. Liana was holding her sword in her right hand while Liadrin held Kelrian's swords in her hands. The light which was coming out of the house was bright enough to enlighten the area in front of it, in which Kelrian and the attackers were.

Liadrin's and Liana's eyes widened as they saw the scene. They held their weapons in front of their bodies but they hesitated to attack. They scrutinized their opponents, realizing that they were superior in number. Their opponents had stopped to injure Kelrian, expecting that he wouldn't dare to attack them.

But they were wrong about that. They may have injured him badly but he was not defeated. He was just waiting for the right moment to strike. And the right moment came when an arrow appeared out of nowhere and hit the man with the mask in the back of his knee, causing him to cry out in pain. Kelrian managed to get up quickly, even though his body hurt like hell, and bashed his elbow in the face of the man with the scar.

The man cried out loudly, covering his broken nose with his free hand. Kelrian took advantage of the fact that he was distracted, snatching his club away. He turned around and hit one of the attackers in the belly. The man staggered backwards, colliding with another man who had also been hit by an arrow. Another arrow swooshed through the air, hitting the last man who hadn't been injured yet. The arrow hit him in the foot, piercing through flesh and bones with ease. The arrow had even pierced through the ground so the man couldn't lift his foot.

Liana and Liadrin had rushed to the attackers in the meantime. Only a few exchanges of blows were enough to make them run but they didn't get very far because they got hit by more arrows. They were either hit in the knee, in the feet or in the back of their knees, causing that they were unable to move very fast.

Kelrian and his family managed to catch up to them, knocking them out. Kelrian regarded the defeated strangers for a few moments. He turned around, looking at his mother and cousin who were giving him worried looks. Everything was fine for the moment but suddenly his surroundings blurred out and everything became dark.

* * *

Sylvanas sat in her office, on her chair behind her desk on which a few very large stacks of documents laid. She put a small stack, she had worked off recently, in the highest drawer of her filing cabinet which stood next to her desk. A loud sigh escaped her lips as she realized that she would need at least half a day to work off these documents.

It was already late and she was pretty tired so it would be better if she would get some sleep and finish the rest tomorrow. But she wanted to finish more of them today so she could enjoy more of the sunny day tomorrow. She held her hand in front of her mouth as she yawned. She didn't hesitate for too long to embark on the next stack of documents.

She finished the next stack within an hour, putting it in the cabinet. She was about to take the next stack as she heard knocks at her door. "Come in" she shouted as she placed the next stack right in front of her. The door was opened a moment later and Verena came in, not hesitating to rush to her best friend. She lifted her out of her seat as she pulled her in a tight hug, placing a kiss on her forehead. She pulled back eventually and grinned at the amazed Sylvanas.

"What was that for?" she asked, regarding Verena curiously.

She smiled. "I have barely seen you over the past weeks. Am I not allowed to be happy to see you?"

"Of course you are but I didn't expect that you would fling me through the room when you visit me"

Verena rolled with her eyes. "Ah c'mon, don't exaggerate, Sylvie"

Soft laughter escaped Sylvanas' lips.

"How are you doing?"

Sylvanas tilted her head a little. "How do you think am I doing?"

Verena let her eyes wander through the room quickly, then they landed back on Sylvanas. "You look pretty tired and a little thinner than before. Are you doing some sort of a diet?"

"Not really, to be honest. I just forget to eat sometimes"

Verena raised an eyebrow, taking a closer look at Sylvanas' body "Sometimes?"

"Okay, maybe more than just sometimes. I have so much work to do that I barely have the time to eat and sleep"

"That's not good, my dear"

"I know, I know. I'm not a child anymore, you don't have to tell me to take care of myself. You are not my mother"

"Some things which happened in the past would have been really awkward if I would have been your mother"

"What do you mean?"

Verena smirked. "You know exactly what I mean" she said pointing at herself, then at Sylvanas. Sylvanas' eyes widened when she realized what Verena meant.

"Don't put unwanted images in my mind" scolded Sylvanas. Verena laughed. Sylvanas was so easy to tease, at least if you knew how to tease he **r**. Verena knew Sylvanas since they were little girls. She knew everything about Sylvanas and Sylvanas knew everything about her. So, it was very easy for Verena to find something she could use to mock Sylvanas. Of course, Sylvanas knew that Verena meant nothing serious when she teased her so she didn't hold it against her.

"Should I rather put _wanted_ images in your mind" teased Verena, wrapping her arms around Sylvanas' hips.

"Wanted images?" she asked, raising a brow.

Verena came closer until her mouth was only a few inches away from Sylvanas' right ear. "Images about us or about you and Kelrian"

"No thanks"

Verena raised an eyebrow, giving Sylvanas a confused look. "No thanks? Did Kelrian visit you recently"?

Sylvanas shook her head. "The last time I have seen him was a week ago"

"A week? Oh dear. Your body must be really tensed up then after working for an entire week without enough pauses. Let me help you out" said Verena, putting Sylvanas on her chair. She walked her and put her hands on her friend's shoulders, starting to messaging them carefully. "Your body is so tense... I don't think a simple massage will help there"

"Do it rougher and everything will be fine" responded Sylvanas as she leaned back, closing her eyes. Verena didn't need to be told twice. She started to massage Sylvanas' shoulders roughly, smiling as she saw the relaxed expression on Sylvanas' beautiful face. Verena knew that the other woman was enjoying what she was doing so she didn't stop. Sylvanas didn't know why Verena's hands worked wonders on her but she was glad about that.

She didn't know how much time had passed as she opened her eyes again. Verena was still standing behind her, massing her shoulders and parts of her back. Sylvanas leaned forward so Verena had access to her entire back. She closed her eyes again, allowing Verena to continue. Her best friend's skilled hands really helped her.

Sylvanas felt better within a short time. Verena was not sure if she had heard a quiet moan escaping Sylvanas' lips. She couldn't say it for sure, it could also be possible that she had just been imagination. She didn't really care if she had heard something or not because Sylvanas' facial expression was enough to convince her that her massage was really helping the overworked woman.

Sylvanas closed her eyes, letting her thoughts drift off. She forgot what was going on around her, what was troubling her and what she needed to do. She faded out everything unnecessary and thought about the really important things in her life. Her family, her friends and her lover.

Kelrian.

She was wondering what he was doing at the moment. She assumed that he was already sleeping but it could also be possible that he was still awake. Maybe he was even thinking about her at the same moment.

He had had an early shift this day so he had the afternoon off. She was wondering what he had done for the rest of the day. Maybe he had met up with Zetai or other friends. Maybe he had spent time with Liadrin. Maybe he had trained. Maybe he had spent his time on the market or he had done something else. There were lots of things Kelrian could have done. Maybe he had gone for a walk.

She could only imagine him returning home in the evening, sweaty and exhausted from the hard training. She imagined him walking to the bathroom, removing his clothes which stuck to his skin. She imagined him entering the shower and turning on the water. She saw him clearly as if she was having some sort of a vision. The water drops came out of the showerhead, falling on his sweaty body. She could watch the water drops flowing down his body in slow motion. The scene was really enjoyable to watch.

Sylvanas was brought down out of her thoughts as she noticed that Verena's hand rested somewhere where it was not supposed to rest. She opened her eyes looking down at herself, only to find out that her ex-lover's hand was cupping her left breast. Her blouse was open and Verena's hand was beneath it. Sylvanas was still wearing her bra but that didn't seem to stop Verena from touching her. Sylvanas looked up, frowning at her best friend.

"What do you think you are doing?" Sylvanas asked, her voice was louder than intended.

"I help you to relax" spoke Verena, her face reflected confusion.

"I don't need this kind of relaxation" spoke Sylvanas, making an annoyed and slightly angry face. Verena removed her hand but she didn't apologize to her best friend. "Your body seems to share a different opinion about that, otherwise, it wouldn't have acted on its own"

"What do you mean?" asked Sylvanas, the confusion in her voice was unmistakable.

Verena didn't say anything. She just lowered her head, signalizing Sylvanas to look down at herself. Sylvanas did that, her eyes widened as she realised that her left hand rested between her legs. But it didn't only rest there. Her hand had managed to sneak in her panties without her noticing. She pulled it out quickly, noticing that sticky stuff stuck to it. She ignored Verena's laughter, cleaning her hand with a handkerchief.

"You know, I would always help you out if you need to relax. Kelrian is not always here when you need him, just like today"

Sylvanas turned her head, her narrowed eyes regarded her ex-girlfriend closely. "Be careful with what you say"

Verena frowned "What do you mean?"

"I will not cheat on him. I love him and you know that"

"You told me that you love me as well"

"I know but I don't love you the same way I love him. I thought you have accepted that I am not gay. I'm not bi either. I'm straight"

Verena laughed amused. "Do straight girls moan the names of their best friends when they made them come?"

Sylvanas blushed but she didn't break eye contact. "Fine, I might not be straight but I'm not interested in anyone else. I only have eyes for Kelrian. No other man or woman interests me"

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him" Verena tried to convince Sylvanas but she didn't succeed. The Ranger-General was too stubborn and too loyal to her lover to give in. A defeated sigh escaped Verena's lips as she sat down on the chair next to Sylvanas.

"It was worth a try"

"Don't you dare to try it again"

Verena lifted her hands, admitting her defeat. "Fine, I surrender. I won't try it again"

"Good"

"What about a threesome?" Verena asked after a few minutes.

Sylvanas gave her a confused look. "A threesome? You are not even interested in men..."

"Well, as long as he doesn't touch me, I'm fine"

"How should it work then?" asked Sylvanas, giving her friend a confused look.

"You can't tell me Kelrian wouldn't enjoy watching you making out with another beautiful woman. Men are all the same"

"Kelrian is not like other men" responded Sylvanas, regarding her best friend with narrowed eyes.

"You may be right about that. Nevertheless, Kelrian is just a man. Men like it when two women make out in front of them" explained Verena.

"It seems you are speaking from experience"

"I have gotten so many free drinks from horny men. I only needed to make out with my girlfriends in front of them to make them buy us so many drinks for us"

"Strange, we never did that"

"We kept your relationship secret, silly" replied Verena, smacking Sylvanas' forehead playfully. "Don't you remember?"

"I do remember" grumbled Sylvanas, rubbing her forehead softly.

"So, what do you say?"

"No"

"Ah, c'mon, Sylvie. You don't know how much fun you are missing"

"Get yourself a girlfriend if you want to fuck someone but don't bother me whenever you are horny"

Verena groaned. "Fine, I'm leaving then"

"Where are you going?"

"Visiting someone who doesn't reject me"

"And who would that be?" Sylvanas asked interested.

Verena smirked "Elonis is always up to have some fun with me. She doesn't live far away from this place so I'll check if she is still up"

Sylvanas sighed, shaking her head. "Have fun"

Verena's smirk became wider. "I will. Trust me"

Sylvanas got up, hugging her friend before she said goodbye to her. Verena kissed her cheek, waving at her before she left her office and closed the door behind her. Sylvanas stared at the door for a few moments, a loud sigh escaped her lips as she sat down on her chair. She was about to continue working as she heard knocks at her door. She got up, wondering who was it this time.

She opened the door, greeting the familiar ranger who was waiting there. "Vara. I didn't expect you to be awake at this late hour"

"Normally, I would have been already home and sing my children to sleep but instead I returned to Silvermoon to report to you"

"You want to report to me? About what? What happened?"

"A ranger was attacked by a group of mercenaries in the near of his home. He was brought to the next hospital where he is currently treated by the best priests and doctors who live in the near of this area. His condition is critical but the healers are certain he will make it"

"Who is it?" Sylvanas asked, expecting the worst.

All the colour was drained from Sylvanas' face as she heard the name.

_Ranger Kelrian Sunsinger._


	23. Recovery

She opened the door and entered the room without hesitation. Her heartbeat was fast. Very fast. Her throat was dry and her skin tingled nervously. Her heart stopped beating for a moment as she saw him. Noticed his condition.

Kelrian was lying in a hospital bed, his eyes were closed, his skin was paler than usual. His head was dressed by bandages, same counted for half of his exposed upper body. She also saw lots of fresh stitches here and there. Not even his face was spared. He had a broken nose and a stitch right under his left eye.

Sylvanas heard his quiet breaths as she arrived at the bed. Her face reflected worry as she regarded her lover. Countless thoughts wandered through her mind. She couldn't believe that this had happened. She would have never expected that mercenaries would attack a Farstrider, especially not elven mercenaries. Kelrian would never harm a fly, it didn't make sense that someone would pay mercenaries to attack him. Sylvanas had always feared that Kelrian would get into troubles but she had expected that would only happen if the public would find out about their relationship. But no one had found out anything. The attack and its purpose were still a mystery for her.

Sylvanas wanted to know who had paid these mercenaries and for what reason. She promised to herself that she would find the responsible person and bring him to justice. Whoever was responsible for the attack will pay. Sylvanas regarded Kelrian for a few minutes, wondering if he was still unconscious or just sleeping. She turned her head, looking at the door as soon as she had recognized that someone had entered the room.

She saw two familiar persons. One of them was Liadrin and the other was a woman Sylvanas' didn't know. She regarded her closely, assuming it was Kelrian's mother. She looked very similar to him and her left forearm was missing so she could only be his mother. They made surprised faces as they spotted Sylvanas standing next to the bed. They walked over to her, lowering their heads in respect. "I didn't expect that you would visit him, Ranger-General" said Liana.

"I didn't expect you to visit him either" responded Sylvanas, regarding Kelrian's mother with narrowed eyes.

"What do you mean? He is my son. Of course I'm visiting him"

"As far as I know, you haven't given a shit about him since he failed the priest examination for the second time"

Sylvanas noticed the hurt look on Liana's face but she didn't feel bad nor did she intended to apologize. She had just said the truth, at least she was believing that it was the truth. She hadn't met Kelrian since he had rescued his mother, so she couldn't know what Liana had said to her son. She couldn't know that Liana was caring for her son like every normal mother. She couldn't know that Liana had only pretended to hate Kelrian because her husband had forced her to behave as he had wanted. She couldn't know that Liana was a completely different person, that she cared for all of her children and didn't hate or favour any of them.

It wasn't surprising that Sylvanas disliked her and she didn't even try to hide it. Liana was regarding her with a frown on her forehead, wondering what Kelrian had told his superior about her and the rest of their family. Liadrin was also making a surprised face, wondering why Sylvanas was saying these things.

"I'm afraid I have to tell you that you are wrong about this, Ranger-General. I've never hated him, on the opposite, I love him the same way as my other children. I have no favourite child because I love all of them equally"

"Kelrian told me something different" replied Sylvanas, staring at the other woman. She knew when someone was lying and when someone was telling the truth. She knew that the woman wasn't lying but she didn't accept it. Kelrian had told her how the older members of his family treated him. She believed that Kelrian's mother was a very bad person. She did that at first. The longer she listened to Liana's explanations, the more she got convinced that she was not as bad as Kelrian had told her.

Sylvanas looked over to Liadrin from time to time when she was unsure if what Liana said was right. Liadrin had nodded to her and helped Liana to explain everything. Sylvanas was silent after the former paladin was done with explaining. She had her eyes closed, taking a deep breath before she opened them again.

"To sum up everything, Kelrian helped you and his younger siblings to get away from your abusive husband and a few days later he was attacked by mercenaries who were probably hired by your ex-husband"

"He is not my ex yet but we are not together anymore. Anyways, I have no proofs that Xenarion hired them but it would make sense that it was him. First of all, one of his friends was among the attackers and he had disliked Kelrian since he had failed the first exam. He hated him so it's not a surprise that his hatred has grown after he has helped us to get out of this house. Kelrian is a good boy, he doesn't deserve to be treated like that" explained Liana, her voice and her face reflected sadness. Liadrin put a hand on her shoulder, comforting her by saying the right words to her.

Sylvanas was silent, regarding Kelrian with one eye while the other rested on his mother. "How is he doing?" she asked eventually, hoping that his wounds weren't that bad.

"It's difficult to say. He is stable and no important organs were damaged. That's a good thing. The bad thing that he hasn't woken up yet. He has three broken ribs, his nose is broken, his left upper arm is sprained and he has a weak form of a concussion. The healers did their best but they could only heal the worst wounds. His ribs are mostly healed, so is his forearm but the other wounds have to heal by themselves. He has to stay a few days up to a week in bed, hopefully, he will wake up soon" responded Liadrin.

"I hope that too. He belongs to my best rangers, so I hope he doesn't have to suffer long-lasting after-effects. I hope everything will turn out well" she responded, regarding Kelrian for a few minutes. "An attack against one of my rangers is an attack against me. I will make sure that Xenarion will pay for this as soon as I can prove that he hired these mercenaries"

"Good luck with that, Xenarion is not the type of man who reveals his secrets. It won't be easy to get the information you need" spoke Liana.

Sylvanas' lips formed a small smile. "Don't worry, my rangers and I will get the pieces of information we require. Thanks to you, we can interrogate those who attacked Kelrian"

"Well... To be honest, we didn't do it alone. Someone helped us"

"Who?" Sylvanas made a curious face.

"A human archer"

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow "A human archer?"

Liana nodded.

"A human appeared out of nowhere and helped you?"

Liana nodded again. "He slowed them down with precise hits, allowing us to defeat and capture them. Kelrian also did a good job at beating them after they had stopped hitting him. He managed to take down one or two before he collapsed"

"Did the human tell you anything about himself? For example, why he is visiting one of our towns at night"

"He said he is travelling from the east of Lordaeron to Silvermoon because he wants to meet the best archer in the world"

"He wants to meet me? Are you sure?" asked Sylvanas, rubbing her forehead with the tips of her fingers.

"He didn't say your name but there is no other person in Quel'Thalas who is as good as you. There was no need to ask him who he wants to meet because you are the best in everything so there is no way that he wants to meet someone else"

"I should meet up with that human. At least to thank him for saving one of my rangers" said Sylvanas more to herself than to the others.

"You should do that. He deserves to speak to you after he travelled the whole distance from Lordaeron to Quel'Thalas because he wants to meet you. Nobody asked him to help Kelrian but he did it anyway even though he had nothing to do with him or the mercenaries" said Liadrin.

Sylvanas nodded her head.

"I'm pretty sure he is travelling to Silvermoon at the moment. Maybe he will wait for you in the headquarters of the Farstriders if they allow him to stay. I'm pretty sure he will inform your subordinates that he wants to meet you"

"That could be possible" responded Sylvanas. "Did he tell you his name?"

"He said his name is Nathanos. Nathanos Marris"

"Nathanos Marris... I wonder why he wants to see me. Maybe he wants to learn from the best. Who knows? Let's say, I'm curious. But let's not forget that the most important thing is that we have to find evidence that Xenarion is responsible for Kelrian's condition. I will meet this human at the earliest when Kelrian has woken up" responded Sylvanas.

"I hope everything works. Xenarion deserves a just punishment for everything he has done to our family. Without him, our family would be united and could live happily together. But because of him, our family has split and is now living in different places. I'm still angry at myself that I didn't notice earlier that he has changed. I never tried to stop him and allowed him to treat Kelrian like rubbish. I wish I would have been braver back then. Maybe I could have convinced Xenarion that his point of view is wrong. Maybe..." sadness overcame Liana but Liadrin comforted her. She pulled her in a tight hug, whispering soothing words in her ear. They pulled away after a while, smiling weakly at the other.

They turned to Sylvanas, noticing that she had a tense expression on her face as she regarded Kelrian. They called her name but she didn't react. She was lost in thoughts so she didn't hear their attempts to get her attention. The two women could touch her to get her attention but they didn't. Instead, they regarded Kelrian with her.

Liana even came very close to the bed and caressed his cheeks with her hand. They stayed here for a few hours, looking at Kelrian without saying anything. Liana pressed a kiss on his forehead before she left the room with Liadrin, leaving Sylvanas alone in the room. Sylvanas snapped out of her thoughts after some time, wondering where the others were as she checked her surroundings.

Sylvanas pulled her pocket watch out, looking at the time. It was almost ten in the evening, which meant she had spent at least six hours in the room without realizing. She took one of the chairs in the room and moved it to the bed. She sat down, leaning forward to inspect him up close. She even held one of his hands as she watched him. She didn't leave his side nor did she stop holding his hand. Not even when she got tired and ended up falling asleep, her head rested on the mattress.

* * *

A few days had passed since Sylvanas' visit. If it was up to her, she wouldn't have left his side until he would have woken up. But there were two reasons why she had left him. First, she had a lot of work to do. Second, it would be pretty conspicuous if she would stay by his side for so long. She didn't want that rumours would be spread, rumours which would include him and her. There would be people who would interpret things right and start to believe that Sylvanas and Kelrian were an item which would only lead to more trouble for Kelrian. Kelrian didn't need more trouble than he already had.

It was the best to leave him alone and only visit him from time to time. It was not the best solution and Sylvanas didn't really like it but it was the only solution she had if she wanted to keep their relationship secret. Keeping it secret to leave Kelrian out of trouble was the number one on Sylvanas' priority list. Nothing else mattered than his safety.

Even though she was very busy with paperwork and other necessary tasks, she couldn't stop thinking about him. Sometimes, it was pretty hard for her to focus on her work because he didn't get out of her head. She was fearing that he might never wake up. The doctors and healers had assured her that he will wake up sooner or later. Nevertheless, she was afraid that the experts would be wrong in this case. It was not impossible that something opposite to their expectation would happen. Sylvanas could only hope that everything would be alright.

Another week had passed were lots of things had happened. The campaigns Sylvanas had planned against the trolls, who had become more aggressive over the past weeks, had turned out to be successful. Her rangers managed to defend the borders of Quel'Thalas and drove out all invading trolls. They haven't yet dared to invade the troll territory, but sooner or later they will.

High King Anasterian Sunstrider had ordered Sylvanas to not lead any aggressive campaigns, not until the negotiations with the humans and dwarves were over. Sylvanas had attended every single meeting with the other leaders of the Alliance of Lordaeron. Most of the times, they had tried to work out a strategy to deal with the threats together. The humans wanted to take care of the orcs first, who were threatening them, while High King Anasterian insisted on dealing with the trolls first. The factions have held many discussions but they hadn't found a strategy yet which was accepted by every faction. For now, the humans and dwarves dealt with the orcs while the high elves took care of the trolls.

High King Anasterian was hoping that the humans would agree on helping his people one day so he had told Sylvanas to not plan any campaign which included attacking the trolls in their territory. If it was up to Sylvanas, she would send half of the army to aid the humans and dwarves while the rest would defend Quel'Thalas' borders. She knew that the trolls wouldn't be able to get very far if they would concentrate their attack on one point. They might break through the outer defensive line but they wouldn't be able to pass the first and the second elfgate because they were protected by ancient spells. It was impossible that the trolls would conquer Silvermoon City or destroy it as the orcs had done with Stormwind City.

Sylvanas may be the highest-ranked member of the elven army but it was the High King who decided when to attack and when to hold back. He was in command. Sylvanas was only in command when he gave her permission.

At this very moment, Sylvanas was sitting in her office. As usual, she was busy doing paperwork. She read the reports of her captains and lieutenants, noting down the numbers of slain enemies and lost allies. She was also creating an overview of the resources which had been used. Food, raw materials like wood, iron and other materials which were used to forge weapons, armours and other items which were used for battle.

During the past week, Sylvanas had lost twelve rangers but no inhabitant had died. In return, they had managed to slay forty trolls and even managed to capture five of them. They were held as prisoners but they hadn't told them any useful information yet. Even torturing them was useless. Alleria had reported to Sylvanas that the interpreters, who had learned the troll language, had only been insulted by the trolls. Every single interrogation technique had failed. Not even Sylvanas herself had managed to lure out information about Zul'jin's plans.

Sylvanas finished another stack of documents as someone knocked at her door. She sighed as she got up and walked to the door, wondering who was it this time. It turned out that it was Liadrin whose facial expression, which had always shown worry over the past days, reflected delight and hope. Sylvanas didn't hesitate to let her in, giving her a curious look after she had closed the door behind her.

"What happened? I hope something good"

Liadrin gave her a happy smile. "Kelrian woke up yesterday"

"He did?" asked Sylvanas, raising an eyebrow. She noticed that her heartbeat became a lot faster and her skin tingled in excitement. She was hoping that Liadrin was saying the truth. She hoped that Kelrian was alright. Her stomach cramped up whenever she imagined what would happen if Kelrian would never wake up. She couldn't imagine her life without him. She didn't want to imagine how things will change if Kelrian would die. She was sure it would affect her negatively.

Liadrin put her hand on Sylvanas' shoulder, nodding to her. "He is awake and he wants to see you"

Sylvanas' heartbeat became faster once again. "At least he remembers who I am which means he hasn't lost his memory"

"Is that what you have feared the most? That he won't remember you and the relationship you two have"

"I have been afraid of lots of things over the past weeks. Thoughts about losing him entirely have plagued my mind. It was pretty hard to fulfil my duties as Ranger-General while being worried about the man I love"

"But you managed to do your tasks and now you don't need to worry anymore. He is awake and his condition has gotten a lot better over the past days. He needs some rest but he will be fine" explained Liadrin.

Sylvanas sighed out in relief. "These are some good news. You know, the skirmishes with the trolls which will soon lead to war are really worrying me.I can't allow myself to get distracted so I'm glad Kelrian is doing fine"

"Are there any news about the mercenaries who attacked him?"

A sad sigh escaped Sylvanas' lips. She shook her head. "Not really. None of them has told us anything so far. I can't accuse his father because I have no proofs at all"

"That's unfortunate. But we will find the necessary proofs one day. I'm pretty sure your rangers will manage to lure the necessary pieces of information out of the mercenaries"

"I hope so" responded Sylvanas. "We have already charged them with grievous body harm and attempted murder. They will talk if they don't want to be convicted for attempting murder"

"I'm pretty sure Xenarion didn't want to kill Kelrian, he only wanted to teach him a lesson. So, if the mercenaries are wise, they will make a statement and tell us who hired them" spoke Liadrin

"I hope it will work that way" replied Sylvanas.

"And hopefully they will tell us the truth" added Liadrin.

"Don't worry about that, our mages know a spell which tells us if they are saying the truth" explained Sylvanas.

"I almost forgot about that"

"Am I allowed to see Kelrian?" Sylvanas asked after she had been silent for a half a minute.

"Sure, you are. Are you travelling through a portal?"

"I'm riding on my horse. Taking a portal would be too conspicuous. I've always visited my subordinates when they were injured but I've never taken a portal until today. I have to do it like that, even though that would mean I would have to ride for two days. You also travelled by horse, didn't you?"

"I thought about it but then I decided to wait until the next morning and pay a dragonhawk trainer to bring me to Silvermoon. I need to do something else in Silvermoon so I'm killing two birds with one stone"

"Nevertheless, I will ride to this place. Flying still makes me feel uncomfortable" admitted Sylvanas.

"It's not everyone's cup of tea. Some people like it, others don't"

"I'm not the biggest fan of it. My stomach turns around whenever I'm flying on the back of a dragonhawk or a gryphon"

Liadrin laughed, smiling at her friend, "I didn't expect that you have a weakness"

"It's not a real weakness... But it's the proof that I'm not as perfect as others think I am. I have never claimed that I'm perfect but people regard me as the perfect high elf, the perfect woman in general"

Liadrin regarded the Ranger-General from head to toe "I can understand why they are thinking that"

Sylvanas smiled about the compliment. "Anyways, I should go. I can't wait to see him" she said as she walked to the door, waiting until Liadrin had left her office. She stepped out of the room, closed the door and locked it. She said goodbye to Liadrin as she hugged her, then she regarded her for a few moments. She waited until she was out of her sight before she walked in the opposite direction.

It took two whole days for Sylvanas to travel from Silvermoon to Suncrown Village. The hospital in which Kelrian was treated was not the largest but it was equipped with all necessary things so the healers could treat the patients as well as possible.

For Sylvanas, it would have been better if Kelrian would have been brought to a hospital in Silvermoon. But bringing him through a portal would have been bad for him, it would have only made his condition worse than it already was. Bringing him in a carriage to Silvermoon would have taken too long. It had been the right decision to bring him to the hospital in Suncrown Village, especially because the doctors and priests in the villages and towns were as good as the healers in the capital city. It made no difference who treated him. The only reason why Sylvanas wanted him in Silvermoon was that she could visit him more often without needing to travel two days or taking a portal. But she was fine with the current situation because she could still see Kelrian.

Sylvanas entered the hospital, knowing exactly where Kelrian's room was. She followed the corridor, stopping in front of the second last door. She didn't hesitate to knock at the door, waiting that a familiar voice would tell her to come in. Her heartbeat became faster as her ears recognized Kelrian's voice. She opened the door and entered the room. She closed the door and rushed to the bed Kelrian was still lying in.

She sighed out in relief as she noticed that he looked far better than the last time she had seen him. He was still pale but not as pale as he had been a few days ago. It seemed that the healing methods and medicine were working on him. His wounds weren't fully healed yet but his condition was by far better than it had been days ago.

The first thing Sylvanas did as she approached her lover, was to carefully wrap her arms around his upper body. She was too afraid she could hurt him so she didn't hug him tightly as she normally would. She remained careful, closing her eyes as she rested her head on his shoulder. She pulled away after a while, regarding Kelrian who was giving her a small smile. "How are you doing?"

"The left side of my upper body still hurts but, thanks to the medicine, the doctors gave me, I'm able to bear the pain. I'm lucky that no inner organs have been damaged" he responded, giving her a weak smile.

Sylvanas sat down on the edge of his bed, grabbing his left hand. She intertwined their fingers, caressing the back of his hand with her thumb. She was silent for a few minutes, doing nothing but staring at him. But then she broke the silence. "I have felt fear for the first time in my life. I didn't fear that something might happen to me, instead, I feared that you will never wake up. I was afraid of losing you. I don't want to imagine what would happen if you would have died. I can't imagine life without you". Sylvanas eyes rested on their hands, her voice was low and reflected sadness.

Kelrian lifted his upper body a bit so he could put his other hand on Sylvanas' cheek and caress it. "We are rangers. Our lives could end every day because of the many threats we have to deal with. It's not unlikely that a group of trolls or orcs could ambush us. We always have to consider that the current day might be our last day. The life of a ranger is a dangerous life"

"I know, you don't need to tell me that. The risks of this life are well known to me. I have seen friends and colleagues die by my side during battles. Children lose their parents and parents lose their children. War is what it is. It's cruel but we can't change that. We have to protect our people which means we have to eliminate every threat" She took a deep breath, pausing for a few moments. Her eyes narrowed and reflected anger. "But you didn't get injured by our enemies. Our own people did that to you. These elven mercenaries were probably hired by your father because he hates you"

"Not only probably"

"What you mean?" asked Sylvanas, raising an eyebrow.

"One of the men, who attacked me, told me that the attack is a punishment from my father because I kidnapped HIS family. These were his words, not mine. Basically, my father's friend confessed that my father is responsible for the attack. But I don't think they wanted to kill me. They only wanted to teach me a lesson, otherwise, they would have used daggers and knives instead of clubs" explained Kelrian.

Sylvanas frowned. "Are you sure about that?"

Kelrian nodded his head. "I am"

A quiet sigh escaped Sylvanas' lips. "At least we have the proof that it was your father who hired these mercenaries. I'm pretty sure your father's friend will confess if you tell the judge what he had said to you"

"I hope so"

"I hope they will receive their just punishments as soon as possible. Nobody knows that you are my lover. But they know that you are a ranger, a ranger of my regiment. You are also a member of my elite group which means that an attack on you is also an attack on me"

"I don't think my father attacked me to hurt you. Nobody knows about us except for Verena and Liadrin"

"I know but it still hurts me. Seeing you like this makes me feel sad"

"I'm getting better. The doctors even told me I can leave in two days if my condition becomes better and better. I think they will tell me to hold back for a few days or maybe even a week. But other than that, I'm able to train again soon and fulfil my duties as a ranger"

Sylvanas caressed his cheeks, staring into his eyes. "I hope so as well, I can't wait to work with you again and spend more time with you. But take your time, I don't want you to rush things. Just wait until you have fully recovered and then you can tell me if you feel ready or not"

"Okay, I will be careful" responded Kelrian, smiling at her.

Sylvanas returned the smile, leaning in to seal her lips to his. She smiled into the kiss as she noticed that Kelrian returned it, then she inserted her tongue in his mouth, allowing him to do the same. They held the kiss for a few minutes, only pulling away when they were out of air. They took deep breaths, staring into each other's eyes.

Kelrian put his hands on top of her head, pulling her hood down slowly. He admired her golden-blonde majestic mane, which was mostly hidden under the piece of fabric. But now it was free so Kelrian could run his fingers through it while he caressed her scalp softly. He toyed with her hair, with her ears and he even touched the tips of her ears.

Sylvanas smirked. "If you don't stop, I will get horny and ravage you, which will not improve your current condition. So, either you stop it or you keep doing it at your own risk"

"Normally I wouldn't shy back from taking a risk but in my current situation, it's better to not overdo it" spoke Kelrian, giving her a wide grin.

Sylvanas nodded. "You are absolutely right, my love"

They stared at each other for a while, holding hands while doing nothing except enjoying the presence of the other. From time to time, Kelrian brought her hands to his lips to kiss them gently, sometimes Sylvanas caressed his cheeks and planted kisses on them. They enjoyed the pleasant silence, sharing kisses from time to time.

"Can I ask you something?" Kelrian asked after a while.

Sylvanas noticed the curiosity which was written all over his face. "Sure, you can"

"Liadrin and my mother told me about a human who helped them to defend me. Is that right?"

"Yes, it is" replied Sylvanas.

"Do you know anything about this human?"

"His name is Nathanos Marris. He is a human archer from the kingdom of Lordaeron. He travelled from the east of Lordaeron to Quel'Thalas because he wants to meet me"

Kelrian frowned. "Why does he want to meet you?"

Sylvanas shrugged her shoulders. "I have no clue"

"Why don't you meet him? He saved me so it would be a nice gesture to allow him to meet you"

"I was very busy the whole week, not to mention that I was thinking of you all the time which didn't make working easier. It was not easy to concentrate on my work while being afraid that you will never wake up" she explained.

"I'm sorry then, I guess"

Sylvanas shook her head, caressing his cheeks with her hands. "You don't need to be sorry, you didn't choose to be attacked by mercenaries. You did nothing wrong"

"In my father's eyes, I did"

"Your father is an asshole and you know that. Don't listen to him"

Kelrian sighed. "You are right"

"Am I not always right?" she joked.

Soft laughter escaped his lips. "You are"

Sylvanas poked his shoulder playfully. "See"

Kelrian smiled at her, so did Sylvanas. "Fine, I will meet Nathanos and see what he wants from me. Do you want to thank him personally or shall I tell him you are grateful that he defended you?"

Kelrian made a thoughtful face for a moment. "You can tell him that I want to meet him one day and thank him personally. Maybe you can even ask him to come to the hospital"

"That would work as well"

Kelrian smiled, caressing her cheek. "Good"

They spend more time together, talking, kissing and even cuddling until Sylvanas decided it was time to go. She would love to spend more time with him but couldn't because she had lots of tasks to do. It was almost impossible for her to take a day off because she was so busy. The trolls and the orcs were still out there and planned something while she was sitting in Silvermoon and did paperwork. She knew she had to fulfil her duties and she knew it would take a while.

She was only hoping that the High King would manage to come to an agreement with the other leaders of the Alliance of Lordaeron. The sooner the war against the trolls and orcs will end, the sooner Sylvanas can have a normal life where she didn't need to work ten to fourteen hours every day. The less time she had to work, the more time she will have for her family, her friends and her lover.

She wanted to stay but unfortunately, she had to leave him already. She kissed Kelrian goodbye, regarding him for a few moments before she left the room and closed the door behind her.


	24. A New Ranger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have decided that the universe in which this story takes place, will be an alternative universe, which means that there will be some differences to the lore. I hope you will still enjoy the story despite the things I will change.

Sylvanas left her office and walked through the bordering corridor. She walked towards the dining hall to get something to eat because she was very hungry. She was near the dining hall as a familiar ranger crossed her way. But that ranger didn't pass her, instead, she stopped in front of her, giving Sylvanas the impression that she wanted something from her. Sylvanas also stopped, giving the ranger a curious look.

"How can I help you Ranger...?" Sylvanas tried to figure out the woman's name but she realized that she didn't know her name. Even regarding her from head to toe didn't help her to remember the name. For some reason, she was unable to remember the ranger's name. Normally, she could recognize every single ranger but not on this day. She assumed that it was the lack of sleep which messed up her thoughts and memories.

The woman was half a head taller than Sylvanas, had beautiful black hair and a gorgeous face. Like most rangers, her body was muscular.

"My name is Valerie Leafdancer."

"Valerie Leafdancer... Ah, now I remember. Aren't you one of Verena's friends?"

Valerie hesitated for a moment. "Actually, we were more than just friends."

"Were?"

Valerie looked uncomfortable. "It didn't work out. My parents found out about us and... well, they didn't accept our relationship... To conclude a long story, it was too much trouble for Verena so she dumped me."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's fine, really. I think I have moved on."

Sylvanas frowned. "Do you just think that or are you sure about that?"

Valerie didn't respond at first and Sylvanas didn't want to wait any longer because her stomach was growling from time to time, telling her that she urgently needed to eat something. "Tell me how I can help you, Ranger Valerie."

"Well, I was just looking for you to tell you that the human you have been looking for has returned to Silvermoon City."

"That's great. Where is he.?"

"He is waiting in front of the building."

"Alright, tell him to come to my office in thirty minutes. If you are good, you can escort him there. Of course, only if you are not busy at the moment," told Sylvanas.

"I'm not busy at the moment. I'm only waiting for the next task I could fulfil before my shift ends in an hour," replied Valerie.

"Fine, why don't you show this human the area around the headquarters? Show him the many reasons why our capital city belongs to the most beautiful cities on Azeroth," suggested Sylvanas.

"As you wish, Ranger-General," responded Valerie. She lowered her head in respect before she turned around and walked away. Sylvanas watched her leaving, then she rushed to the dining hall, noticing that it was emptier than expected.

She looked at the clock, noticing that it was already late afternoon. She looked around, spotting a few familiar rangers. She saw Verena and Elonis sitting at a table. There were so close that Elena almost sat on Verena's lap, whose arm was wrapped around the smaller elf's waist.

Sylvanas had been so busy in the past few weeks that she had rarely seen anyone who was close to her. She hadn't seen her family for two weeks because she hadn't been able to get home. There was still enough work to do so she assumed she wouldn't be able to visit her family on the next weekend. She hadn't been able to see Verena very often either.

Her best friend had visited her from time to time but these visits had been rather short. They hadn't been able to spend much time together. Sylvanas knew already that Verena will come to her, as soon as she was done with the paperwork, and tell her everything she had done with her girlfriend Elonis. And with everything Sylvanas meant everything. Verena would give her detailed descriptions about their sex life, no matter how often Sylvanas would tell her she didn't want to hear that. Verena was a pervert and she didn't mind telling Sylvanas about her intimate moments. She knew no shame.

Sylvanas walked over to the counter, ordering one of the four choices of food everyone had. Even though she was the Ranger-General, the highest-ranked and most famous ranger in Quel'Thalas, she chose between food every other ranger could get. The cooks always offered her to give her different food which would be more expensive and taste she always refused because she didn't think she was better than the others.

She may have the highest rank a ranger could achieve but she wasn't better than everyone else. She was no divine being, even though most of the people in Quel'Thalas regarded her as such. She was still a mortal who could bleed, needed to eat, drink and sleep. Not to mention her lower desires. Her body was working like the bodies of every other elf. She was not immortal and not undefeatable. She was still a normal elf. She didn't want to be treated differently only because she was one of the most important persons of Quel'Thalas.

Not only did she eat the same food her subordinates ate, but she also queued up like everyone else and waited until it was her turn to receive her meal. On this day, she didn't need to wait for too long to receive her meal. She picked up her tray, walking over to her best friend and her girlfriend. She took a seat opposite to them, greeting them as soon as they had turned their heads to look at her. Verena leaned over to hug her best friend while Elonis only shook the Ranger-General's hand.

"Look who came out of her cave," joked Verena, giving Sylvanas a wide smirk.

"Quite funny, Verena. You seem to be in a very good mood today. What happened?"

"What happened?" Am I not allowed to be happy?" Verena asked teasingly.

"Of course you are but normally you don't show it to everyone. So, what happened?"

"My sister gave birth yesterday. I became an aunt," she announced happily.

Sylvanas gave her a happy smile. "Congratulations. Tell your sister how happy I am for her when you see her."

"I'll do that."

"Did she give birth to a boy or a girl?" asked Sylvanas, giving her friend a curious look.

"To both. She gave birth to twins."

"Twins?! That's fantastic. I'm sure she will be a good mother."

"I hope that for her, otherwise, I'll kick her ass," joked Verena.

Soft laughter escaped Sylvanas' lips. "I haven't met your sister very often so I don't really know her but I'm pretty sure she will be a good mother."

"I believe that as well" responded Verena, taking a bite from her chicken leg. She looked at her best friend's plate, noticing that only salad, vegetables and fruits were on it. "Have you become a vegan?" she asked curiously, tilting her head.

"No, why are you asking?"

"Because you haven't ordered meat or fish today."

"Unlike you, I don't eat fish or meat every day. I pay attention that my nutrition is healthy. I eat less meat and more fruits and vegetables."

" How long have you been doing this?"

"For a year or two. You know it will be pretty hard to live from fruits and vegetables during times of war. Surviving in the wilds won't be easy if you don't want to eat meat," said Verena.

"I didn't say that I'm not eating meat anymore. Currently, I just eat less than I eat normally. Of course, I will eat the animals I find if I'm somewhere outside on a mission. I'm not a vegan, don't worry about that."

"Even if you would become a vegan," replied Verena, pausing for a moment to find the right words. She gave Sylvanas a teasing grin before she continued. "Unlike me, you decided against being a lesbian so you have to _deal_ _with_ _meat_ sooner or later if you want to have some fun. If you know what I mean. **"**

Sylvanas rolled her eyes, hitting Verena's shoulder playfully. "You are impossible!"

"I know, that's why you love me."

"I do love you, that's true but not the way you wish," responded Sylvanas.

"I know, Sylvie. I know. I have already accepted that. Besides, I have found a beautiful woman who is causing less trouble than you and is also gorgeous at the same time" Verena put her hand under Elonis' chin, turning her head so she could kiss her. The woman with the bluish dyed hair didn't hesitate to return the kiss. Sylvanas observed them for a few moments, then she lowered her gaze and looked at her plate. She began to eat, looking up as soon when the two love-birds were done with making out.

"You have never told me how long you've been together," mentioned Sylvanas.

"We are together for two years," answered Elonis, smiling at Verena who was returning her smile.

"I hope the best for you two."

"Thank you, Ranger-General," replied Elonis.

"Yeah, thank you, Sylvie," commented Verena.

Sylvanas smirked at her friend, then she looked at the clock. "I would love to talk to you more but I have not much time left."

"Are you still busy?" asked her best friend.

"Yes, I have a meeting in fifteen minutes and there are more than just a few stacks of documents which are waiting for me."

"You know I would help you with these documents, right?"

"I do know that, Verena. Thanks for the offer but I would rather do them alone. It would take more time to explain to you what you have to keep in mind and what you have to pay attention to than I actually need to finish the work. No offence, but it would be easier for me if I do all the work alone."

Verena smiled. "It's okay, I wasn't really keen on it anyways. I would have only done it to help you out so we could spend more time together."

"It's okay, my dear. I will handle everything and I will promise you that I will have more time for you as soon as I'm done with the paperwork."

"I hope so."

Sylvanas gave her a teasing grin "You have a girlfriend who should keep you busy enough. I don't see how you can be bored."

"I didn't say I'm bored. I just wanted to say I miss spending time with you."

"I know. I miss spending time with you too."

"By the way, you mentioned you pay attention to your nutrition, right?"

"Yes, I did say that. Why are you asking?"

Verena regarded her from head to toe. One time, two times, even three times. Her eyes rested on her hips and her breasts longer than necessary. "Your body is perfect. I don't see a reason why you have to reduce your consumption of meat. You will never get fat if that's what you are afraid of. I've seen you consume boxes of ice-cream for days when your first boyfriend dumped you and you never got fat. Your figure never changes no matter how much you of people are jealous of you for that."

"Lots of people are jealous of me because of lots of reasons."

"I know but what I wanted to say is that you don't have to eat these fruits and vegetable. You don't need to be afraid that you might gain weight. No matter what you do or what you eat, you always remain slim. You are always perfect."

Sylvanas smiled at her. "Thank you."

"So, tell me the real reason why you refuse to eat meat."

"I don't refuse to eat meat. As I said, I eat less meat, fish and animal products than I used to eat."

"But why?"

"There is no real reason for it. I just want to eat more fruits and vegetables, that's all. Fruits are very delicious, same counts for vegetables."

Verena nodded to her, not saying anything in return.

Sylvanas ate her meal, standing up as soon as she was done. She hugged Verena and said goodbye to Elonis, then she rushed out of the dining hall. She went to her office, spotting Valerie and a human waiting there.

The human was very young, maybe eighteen or nineteen. He wore a brown leather vest and brown and green coloured trousers. He hadn't put his hood on so his short brown hair was revealed. It was unmistakable that he was admiring her beauty as he regarded her with his green eyes. He carried a bow and a quiver on his back, a sword hung on his belt.

"You must be Nathanos Marris," said Sylvanas as she approached them.

"Yes, I am, Ranger-General Windrunner."

Sylvanas gestured Valerie that she was dismissed. The elf lowered her head in respect before she hurried away, leaving Sylvanas alone with Nathanos. Sylvanas opened the door. "Why don't you come in first before we start talking"

A small smile appeared on Nathanos lips. "I wouldn't say no to this invitation."

Sylvanas allowed Nathanos to get in, closing the door behind him. She walked over to her desk, offering him to take a seat in front of it. He did that, leaning against the back of the chair. Sylvanas sat down as well, crossing one leg over the other. She leaned forward, regarding the human curiously. Nathanos did the same, scrutinizing her from head to toe. His gaze fell on her breasts even though he did his best to avoid looking at her rounds. He was a man after all so he was not immune against the effect of Sylvanas' gorgeous appearance. Sylvanas caught him staring at her, noticing that he was physically attracted by her. But that didn't matter for her.

She cleared her throat after a while, finally getting the human's attention. "So, how can I help you, Nathanos? You didn't travel from Lordaeron to Quel'Thalas without a reason"

"That's right...," his gaze fell on her breasts again but he managed to focus and shift his gaze back to her face. "I'm a very talented archer. I'm better than all the other archers I know. People think that I might belong to the best archers of Lordaeron. Even though I'm that good, I want to become better and there is no one better than the Ranger-General of Quel'Thalas. High elven rangers are far better than human rangers. There is nothing my people can teach me but you and your people can. That is the reason why I travelled to Silvermoon."

"So, I assume you want to get trained by my rangers and me? Is that right?"

Nathanos nodded. "That would be my greatest wish."

"You have rescued one of my rangers without killing his attackers. You hit them in the legs so they couldn't run away. I assume you must be really good at aiming."

"I am indeed" replied Nathanos.

"I believe your words but I still want to see if what you are telling me is true."

"It would be honoured to show you what I'm capable of."

"By the way, I want to thank you for saving the ranger. You did that even though you weren't asked to save him".

"Humans and elves are members of the Alliance of Lordaeron, so we are allies. It's only natural for me to save a person who is attacked by shady figures," he told.

"Not everybody would have done that. They were superior in number after all."

"Their numbers don't matter as long as I have my bow and enough arrows," replied Nathanos, sounding very self-confident.

Sylvanas smirked. "And what if you are out of arrows?"

Nathanos didn't hesitate to answer her question. "I'm pretty good in melee combat. I can handle a few brutes with clubs."

"You brag about a lot, let's find out if you are really that good as you claim," she said, standing up.

"I won't disappoint you, Ranger-General," replied Nathanos, standing up as well. He followed the Ranger-General to the door of her office, getting out as soon as she had opened it. Sylvanas closed it behind her, locking it. She signalized the young human to follow her which he did.

They walked through the corridors of the headquarters, ignoring the looks the other Farstriders were giving them. Some didn't hide that they were surprised by Nathanos' presence, others regarded him with narrowed eyes, wondering what he was doing in this place. Not everyone seemed to be happy that a human was hanging around in the headquarters of the Farstriders where only high elf rangers were allowed to be in. Sylvanas was accompanying him so they didn't say anything but they kept staring at him.

Sylvanas escorted Nathanos out of the headquarters to the training area on which dozens of rangers of all ranks were practising. She guided him to one of the targets which weren't used by anyone, signalizing him to show her what he was capable of. Nathanos nodded to her, taking his bow from his back. He ignored the stares of the rangers around him.

Sylvanas' eyes wandered around, regarding every ranger who was out there. Those who were staring at Nathanos turned around as soon as they noticed that the Ranger-General was looking at them. Some of them muttered something or whispered something to their comrades but other than that they didn't do anything.

Sylvanas turned back to Nathanos, noticing that he had already drawn his bow. An arrow was nocked as well, ready to be fired. Sylvanas sat down on the nearest bench, telling the human that she was ready. Nathanos didn't hesitate to fire his arrow but he wasn't looking at his target as he did so. Nevertheless, the arrow hit the middle of the target. He pulled another arrow out of his quiver, hitting the middle again without needing to look at it.

Nathanos turned his head back to the aim target, pulling another arrow out of his quiver. He increased the distance between him and the target, aiming at it. He hit it again and increased the distance for another time. He repeated this until he stood over six hundred feet away from the target. He pulled more arrows out of his quiver. Three shots. The hits.

He walked back to Sylvanas, bowing to her. The Ranger-General got up and applauded. "That's impressive."

The corner of Nathanos' lips formed a smile. "Thank you. There is nothing better than getting a compliment from the Ranger-General of Silvermoon, the best archer in the world."

"I only make compliments to those who deserve it. I have fought by the side of human archers a lot of times over the past decades. I have witnessed what they are capable of. None of those, I have seen, was as good as you and that has to mean something because I have fought with the best of the best back then. But keep a cool head, hitting a non-moving target is easy. But hitting a moving target is way more difficult."

"I have hunted wild beasts for years, I have no problem killing boars, deers or lynxes," he replied.

"What about trolls and orcs?"

Nathanos' smile became wider. "The bigger they are, the easier I can hit them."

"That's true. You'll go hunting with me later but first I want to see how good you are in close combat" she said.

"So, you want me to fight against one of your rangers?"

"Not exactly."

Nathanos' raised an eyebrow, giving her a curious look. "What do you mean?"

"You will fight against me," responded Sylvanas, walking towards the sparring grounds.

"That wouldn't be a fair duel, you will kick my ass."

"We are not duelling, we are sparring. That's something completely different. If you want to learn from the best, you have to deal with the best."

A quiet sigh escaped the human's lips. "I see. Fine. I will fight against you."

"I won't spare you," replied Sylvanas as she walked over to the nearest ring. "Give your best and prove yourself worthy."

Nathanos entered the ring as well, turning his head to regard his surroundings. He spotted dozens of rangers who were standing near the ring, regarding him and Sylvanas curiously. He looked back at Sylvanas noticing that she held her clenched fists in front of her head. The absence of any weapon told Nathanos that they could only use their hands, heads and feet. He pulled his sword from his belt and dropped it on the ground next to the border of the ring. He dropped his bow and his quiver as well, stretching his arms and legs before he walked to the middle of the ring.

Sylvanas' blue eyes scrutinized him "Are you ready?"

"Yes, I..." but before Nathanos was able to complete his sentence, he was hit by her fist which connected with his jaw. He made a step backwards, rubbing his jawline.

"I was not ready" he spoke, giving the Ranger-General an irritated look. He was wondering why she had attacked him before the fight had started.

"Lesson Number One. Always be prepared for everything. You can't expect that your opponent fights fair."

"I see," muttered Nathanos. He regarded Sylvanas for a moment, then he attacked her but the blonde blocked his attack. She didn't just block it, she even countered it, causing that he landed on the ground as she flung him over her hip. Nathanos got up in no time but he didn't attack. He held his hands in front of his head, watching every of Sylvanas' moves. The Ranger-General attacked him with her left hand but Nathanos managed to dodge it this time. She attacked him again, this time he managed to catch her arm but he didn't get any advantage of it because Sylvanas managed to free herself.

She kicked the human against his shin, smiling provocatively when he winched in pain. But Nathanos didn't stand for it. He aimed a punch at her, managing to hit her shoulder. He couldn't know if that had hurt the elf or not because her face didn't reflect any emotion. Nathanos attacked again but Sylvanas avoided the punch and scored a hit instead. Right in his back.

"Watch your back, human," she commented as her feet came in contact with his unprotected back.

Nathanos turned around, his narrowed eyes observed the Ranger-General. He was biting his bottom lip hard as he tried to predict her next move. Sylvanas turned her head, regarding her surroundings. She noticed that more rangers had come to the sparring grounds to watch the fight between their beloved Ranger-General and the strange human. They believed that Sylvanas would beat the outsider easily. She was Sylvanas Windrunner and he was just a random human in their eyes. They believed that he wouldn't have a chance against her. They believed that but Sylvanas didn't. She was sure Nathanos was capable of more but he held back. She was pretty sure that he would only use all portions of his strength when he would be in a dangerous situation.

"Come on, show me what you got. Don't hold back Nathanos or do you want to disgrace yourself in front of my rangers. You have to prove them your worth if you want to receive the same training they receive," she shouted, looking at him for a few moments before she looked back at the cheering crowd. She spotted her younger sister in the middle of the people. She raised her hand, waving at her. Vereesa didn't hesitate to wave back. The silver-haired woman was wondering why her sister was looking at the crowd. Normally, she didn't get distracted when she fought. She always had her eyes on her opponent, not matter if it was a real battle or just a sparring match. It was untypical for Sylvanas to let anyone out of her sight.

But that was Sylvanas' plan. She was doing that on purpose because she wanted to give Nathanos the false hope that he could catch her off guard. She expected him to attack her out of sudden because he would think he had an advantage. Indeed, he was doing that but he had no advantage over the blonde elf. Sylvanas turned around and countered his attack, causing him to fall to the ground. Nathanos growled in frustration as he got up. His fists were clenched, his narrowed eyes rested on his opponent.

"Always stay calm. Do not ever let your emotions speak and act for you. The biggest mistake you can make is to allow that anger overwhelms you," scolded Sylvanas.

Nathanos listened to her words, waiting patiently until he had calmed down enough. He began to walk circles around Sylvanas, waiting for the best moment to strike. But Sylvanas moved as well so he was unable to attack her from the side or from behind. He didn't attack her this time, instead, he waited until she attacked. He got hit several times but he also managed to hit the Ranger-General. Two times in total, in the ribs to be exact. His punches weren't painless but they weren't unbearable either. Sylvanas had endured worse pain so simple but forceful punches didn't affect her at all.

The crowd had become silent as they continued to spectate the sparring match. They had never seen anyone who had managed to hit Sylvanas three times in the same sparring match. It really surprised them that Nathanos was still standing even though he had hit their Ranger-General three times and had been hit so many times in return. Normally, Sylvanas defeated anyone, who had managed to hit her, within a short amount of time.

But this time, she needed more punches, blows and kicks to tire Nathanos. The human did his best to keep up with her, he endured longer than everyone had expected, but he wasn't winning the sparring match. He was losing slowly and he had realized that. The exchange of blows didn't end well for him. He hit her two more times, even one time in the face but nothing changed. His body got tired slowly, his movement became slower and his muscles started to hurt. Sylvanas, on the other hand, was not exhausted at all, not in the slightest.

She wiped the blood away, which had come out of her nose, and continued to let her fists rain down upon her opponent, forcing him to surrender after five minutes. Sylvanas was not sure how long the sparring had endured but she was pretty sure they had fought for at least half an hour. She walked over to her opponent, patting his right shoulder. "You did well," she complimented. "You managed to hit me more often than any of my rangers."

"It was not easy," replied Nathanos.

"I don't make it easy for anyone."

Nathanos rubbed his jaw which still hurt. "I expected that."

"You endured longer than everyone else I know. You are a great fighter," Sylvanas complimented.

"Thank you."

"Anyways, pick up your weapons and follow me. I want to see how good you are at following tracks and hunting animals."

Nathanos walked over to the edge of the ring, picking up his stuff. He looked at the spectators, noticing that half of them were still regarding him with narrowed eyes while the other half was impressed by his talent. He ignored those who didn't like him as best as he could, following Sylvanas back to the headquarters.


	25. Resolution

"How are you feeling?" asked Sylvanas as she started to undo the buttons of his shirt.

"The left side of my upper body still hurts but the pain is not as strong as it has been weeks ago," Kelrian responded, looking at Sylvanas who was kneeling in front of him. "You know, you don't need to do this. I can undress alone."

"I know but I don't want to wait until the water cools down. You need too long because you talk all the time instead of taking your clothes off, my dear."

"I know. Sorry."

Sylvanas gave him a small smile. "You don't need to be sorry." She undid the last remaining button, taking his shirt off. She put it on the bed he was sitting at, helping him to remove his white singlet.

"Aren't you shivering?" he asked, scrutinizing her nude form.

"Not really but you are that's why we are taking a bath now."

"I don't understand why my body doesn't feel hot while a nude goddess is sitting between my legs."

Sylvanas chuckled. "You old sweet-talker."

"Old? You are older than me. One hundred and five years to be exactly."

Soft laughter escaped Sylvanas' lips. She put her hand on his cheek, caressing it softly. "You know how I mean it."

"I do" he responded. He leaned forward and lowered his head so he could place his lips on hers. She returned the kiss, running her fingers through his hair as she deepened the kiss. He put his hand on her back, caressing it carefully. They separated after a while, staring into each other's eyes.

"I might start shivering as well if my body remains uncovered. We really should get into the bathtub now because I don't want to catch a cold" spoke Sylvanas, getting up.

Kelrian's eyes roamed all over her body, resting on her breasts and her most sacred place longer than on all other body parts. He didn't say anything in return, he just admired her beautiful form. He unbuttoned his trousers, removing it with Sylvanas' help. He also took off his socks and his pants, looking at Sylvanas who licked her lips while she was taking a closer look at his nude form.

She turned around and walked to the bathroom, swaying her hips. Kelrian's eyes rested on her well-formed butt as he followed her. He entered the bathroom a moment later, finding out that Sylvanas wanted him to get in first.

He did as he was told, a quiet moan escaped his lips as his shivering body came in contact with the warm water. He stretched his legs out, resting his head on the rim of the tub. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the pleasant warmth of the water. The splashing sounds and the displacement of water let him know that Sylvanas had just entered the tub. She could lay down on the opposite side of the tub but she didn't. Instead, she laid herself on her lover, snuggling against him. She made sure that her body wasn't touching the left side of his upper body, meaning he didn't need to feel unnecessary pain. She closed her eyes as well, smiling as strong arms were wrapped around her upper body.

Kelrian placed a kiss on her right shoulder, rubbing her stomach with his hands. "I've missed that"

"A bath?"

"That too. I meant being able to hold you in my arms and press my body against yours," he responded, leaving kisses on her neck.

"I've missed it too," she admitted. "It's funny that I have managed to survive seventy years without having sex but since our first time, I can't think about anything else."

A provocative grin appeared on Kelrian's lips. "Well, what can I say. There is a reason for that. A big reason. I can understand why you can't have enough of me."

Sylvanas laughed. "Don't exaggerate, my love."

"I'm not exaggerating. I'm telling the truth."

"Alright, I believe you."

Kelrian kissed her left ear. "You better do so, otherwise, you don't get what you desire the most"

A teasing grin appeared on Sylvanas ' lips. "I wonder what that would be." Her hand moved downwards, stopping between his legs. "Hmm. I wonder why you are already so aroused."

"You have kneeled in front of me, wearing nothing but your birthday wonder why my body is ready for everything."

"Ready for everything you say. Let's test that" spoke Sylvanas, her voice sounded very erotic. She put her hands around his manhood **,** starting to pleasure him. Low moans escaped his lips. These moans became louder and more frequent as she started to do it faster.

"Are you sure you are ready for this?" she asked after a few minutes.

"Two weeks have passed since I woke up. All of my wounds are healed, only the left side of my upper body hurts a bit if I overtax myself. I have started training three days ago so I'm pretty sure I can do that too," told Kelrian, letting one of his hand roam all over his lover's body while the other hand wandered to the spot between her legs.

"Remember that I've warned you."

A low moan escaped Sylvanas' lips as his fingers entered her. He licked the entire length of her ear, taking its tip in his mouth. "Remember that I've warned you what my mighty _thing_ could do to you"

Sylvanas smirked. "Did you warn me?"

"Now I did," he whispered as he removed his hand and guided his manhood into her womanhood. He smiled as a loud moan escaped her lips.

_This is only the beginning._

* * *

"You shouldn't have overexerted yourself, my love," said Sylvanas as she regarded her lover with worry.

"It's okay," Kelrian said quietly.

"Doesn't seem so," Sylvanas replied, pointing at the hand he pressed on his left ribcage. "I have warned you that it is too early to have sex. Your body hasn't fully recovered yet."

"It was fine until I decided to stand up too rashly. The sex was not the problem, I just shouldn't move too fast."

"I hope you are right," replied Sylvanas, staring into his eyes. His facial features weren't distorted by pain anymore, instead, they were quite relaxed. "I think you can still continue with your training but don't rush things. Don't overtax yourself and do every task or exercise slowly. Do that until you don't feel the pain anymore"

"I will. Promised."

"Good." Sylvanas gave him a smile, leaning forward to attach her lips to his, deepening the kiss as soon as Kelrian returned it. They melted into the kiss, wrapping their arms around the body of the other. Kelrian didn't need to pull Sylvanas closer because she already moved on her own, sitting down on her lover's lap. They held the kiss as long as possible, staring at each other while breathing heavily. They shared a few needy and passionate kisses, then Sylvanas turned around and laid down on Kelrian, her back came in contact with his body. The younger elf didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her, snuggling against her.

"This is really enjoyable. I would love to stay in the tub with you forever," Kelrian said eventually.

"It is indeed. Unfortunately, our people need us. We have to fulfil our duties and protect our people against all dangers. I wish we could remain here forever but we can't."

"I know, I know. Our people need our help and I will not hesitate to help them. I just wish we could spend more time together."

Sylvanas caressed his cheek. "I understand you, my love. I wish the same but we are very busy in general. War is coming, so we'll be busier than ever in the next few months. High King Sunstrider and the prince managed to make an agreement with the other members of the Alliance of Lordaeron"

"An agreement? What is it about?"

"The orcs haven't done much during the past months. They have built bases and outposts but they didn't attack us or humans. The trolls, on the other hand, were more aggressive than ever. They are planning something, that's why the High King asked for aid and the Alliance agreed to support us against the trolls so we can help them later dealing with the orcs," explained Sylvanas.

"That's fantastic," responded an astonished Kelrian.

"It is indeed. With the support of the humans and dwarves, our chances of victory are much higher."

Kelrian put his head on her shoulder, kissing her right ear. "I think, we would have handled the trolls alone but it would have cost more lives, resources and much more time. With the help of the humans and dwarves, we should handle these ugly green bastards."

Sylvanas didn't say anything in return. She just snuggled against her lover, holding his hands. She closed her eyes, starting to relax. Kelrian also closed his eyes, listening to Sylvanas' quiet breaths. He intertwined their fingers, caressing the backs of her hands with his thumb.

They enjoyed the close body contact for a while, then they decided that it was time to wash their bodies. They decided to wash the other because it was more fun that way. Sylvanas soaped him thoroughly, using a sponge to clean his body and wash off all remains of dirt and sweat. After she was done with his muscular back, she dipped his head in the water so she could wash his hair. She used her favourite shampoo, knowing that his hair won't only look good, it will also smell after lavender later.

Then it was Kelrian's turn wash his lover. At first, he had thought it would go much faster because she was smaller than him. But he needed more time than expected because he couldn't keep his hands off her. He cleaned her more than just thoroughly, running the sponge at least three times over each part of her body. He also noticed that he was groping her from time to time, meaning that her breasts and her well-formed ass got more attention than the rest of her body. But Sylvanas didn't mind that because she enjoyed it as well. In the end, Kelrian managed to fulfil his task, receiving an amused grin from his lover and superior.

They cuddled for quite some time, getting out of the tub as soon as they noticed that the water was cooling down. Kelrian handed Sylvanas a towel before he grabbed one for himself, drying his body. He noticed that Sylvanas' eyes rested on him while he did that, causing him to shift his gaze on her.

He didn't feel ashamed that he was ogling her while she was drying her body. She didn't mind it because she loved when he was looking at her like that. Like a predator who was scrutinizing his prey. Kelrian had to admit that the scene in front of him looked pretty sexy. So sexy that he wasn't able to avert his gaze, no matter how hard he tried. He also regarded Sylvanas while she put on her underwear, realizing she was smiling at him. He returned her smile, getting dressed as well. He waited until she had dried her hair, then he followed her back to her office.

Kelrian took a seat on one of Sylvanas' armchairs. "Is there anything else I have to know?" he asked curiously.

"Well, there is nothing important I haven't told you yet."

"Okay. What about Nathanos?"

Sylvanas hesitated for a moment. "He is better than expected. I already told you about his skills in close combat, in shooting arrows and on the hunt. He is also pretty good when it comes to carrying out missions successfully."

"You sent him on a mission? What did he have to do?"

"I sent him to deliver a message to Lordaeron, then he joined a group of rangers and spied out the nearest base of the Amani trolls," she responded.

"What did they find out?"

"There is a large camp in the east of the Sanctum of the Sun. The group assumes that about sixty trolls are stationed in the base."

"Sixty? That's quite a number for a troll base. Normally only twenty up to twenty-five trolls are stationed in their camps and bases."

"There are a lot more trolls out there. We can be lucky that they keep splitting up in smaller groups and don't man their bases correctly. I don't want to imagine what would happen if an army of hundreds or thousands of trolls would march through our land. It's easier for us if we take them out in smaller groups instead of facing their whole army, so I'm glad that they keep splitting up"

Kelrian made a thoughtful face. "On the other hand, they are able to attack various areas at the same time if they keep sending smaller groups. We don't know how large their army is but we should have a much larger army than them"

"We have but that doesn't mean we wouldn't lose numerous soldiers if we fight them directly on the battlefield. We are no orcs or humans. A direct battle is not our style. We are better at letting them chase us so we can hail down volleys of arrows on them. We keep them at distance and shoot as many arrows as necessary on them until they all die. That's how we fight. You know how effective our strategy is."

"So, keeping the trolls split is the best we can do," concluded Kelrian.

"Exactly, my love."

"I'm wondering why Zul'jin doesn't realise he won't beat us if he doesn't change his strategy. We win most of the skirmishes and protect our citizens while he keeps losing more and more warriors. He won't have any soldiers left he can command if he doesn't change his plan," replied Kelrian.

Sylvanas shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows what is going on in the mind of this bastard. I'm glad that he is not smart enough to realize that his strategy is crap. I'm happy that we win the skirmishes without losing too many soldiers."

"I'm not complaining either. I just don't understand why Zul'jin is doing that."

"There is always something we cannot understand. May it be the universe itself or Zul'jin's plans. But don't forget, never underestimate your opponents. That's the stupidest mistake you could ever make. We don't know what he is planning. Maybe he is doing that on purpose to give us the feeling that we will win against his people with ease. And then he will strike when nobody expects it. Everything is possible. We have to be careful and we shouldn't rush things. Who knows what he is planning? Maybe he just wants to lure us into a trap."

"You are right. I want to see Zul'jin dead but I still respect him. He is not dumb and he is a strong warrior. He has lots of experience which means he knows what he is doing. We have to be careful, that's all we have to do."

Sylvanas agreed with him, walking towards the fridge on the right side of the room. "Are you hungry, my dear?"

"Yes, I am."

"What do you want to eat?"

Kelrian made a thoughtful face for a moment. "What can you offer?"

Sylvanas opened the fridge and looked inside. "What about slices of bread with cheese or meat?"

"Sounds fine to be."

"Good, then I will prepare some slices. Take a seat and relax."

"I will."

* * *

Sylvanas followed the corridor, greeting all the guards who were standing alongside it. They lowered their heads in respect, returning her greetings as she passed them. She didn't need long to arrive at her destination. The throne room.

She stopped in front of the door, greeting the two guards and their captain in front of it. They didn't hesitate to open the door, allowing Sylvanas to get in. She thanked them, entering the throne room without hesitation.

The first thing she caught sight off was the empty throne on which High King Anasterian Sunstrider used to sit when he was not busy with other tasks. Even his advisors, who normally stood next to the throne, were missing. Not far away from the throne stood four guards, all of them wore blue-golden coloured armours, their faces were hidden beneath helmets which were painted in the same colours.

Sylvanas was wondering where the king was so she turned her head to find out if he was somewhere else in the room. He was not so her gaze fell on the room's walls which were coloured in light blue and adorned by beautiful golden wall paintings which showed high elven people, the sun and magical artefacts. Her gaze wandered to the floor which was completely covered by a blue carpet. There were a few pot plants here and there and many guards were standing in the room.

Sylvanas was about to walk to the nearest guard and ask him where the king was as a familiar voice called her name. She turned around, spotting the prince. Kael'thas Sunstrider was wearing one of these blue robes the archmages in Dalaran usually wore. He was a member of the Council of the Six which ruled over Dalaran so he was in the mage city most of the times to study something.

But he was here and not in Dalaran so Sylvanas assumed that he had returned to Silvermoon to help his father with the upcoming war. Nevertheless, he was still wearing the fancy robe although he was not in Dalaran anymore. Sylvanas had to admit that he looked good in everything so it didn't matter if he was wearing this robe or one of his traditional robes. Nobody minded that he wasn't wearing the outfit he was normally wearing when he was in Silvermoon.

The prince was a lot older than Sylvanas but still looked young like all the other elves. His golden hair was so long that it even reached to the half of his upper body. His blue eyes scrutinized Sylvanas curiously. Like most citizens of Quel'Thalas, he had fallen for her so he was unable to avert his gaze from her which rested long on her torso, especially on her breasts. He managed to catch himself after a few moments, shifting his gaze to her beautiful face.

He took her hand, before she was able to do or say something, and kissed it as he bowed to her and lowered his head in respect. He held her hand longer than necessary but he let her go eventually. "It's a pleasure for me to meet you, Ranger-General. I haven't seen you in a while so I'm curious how you are doing"

Sylvanas lowered her head in respect, making a curtsey before she spoke. "I'm doing fine. Work is stressful but I have already gotten used to it."

The corner of Kael'thas' lips formed a small smile. "I can feel you. The upcoming war against the Amani trolls and the orcs are already tiring me and my father. I'm not a strategist but my father still wants me to help him to make a decision whenever he is planning something. I've important studies to do but my father doesn't care about it"

"I can understand him, to be honest. You will lead our people one day so it doesn't hurt if you know a thing or two about politics and war strategies."

"My father rules this kingdom for almost three thousand years. I don't believe he will ever step back or die any soon. To be honest, I rather spend my time in the library and study magic instead of leading my people. Of course, I would do it if I ever have to be king but unless I don't have to, I rather spend my time in Dalaran."

Sylvanas gave him an understanding nod. "I get what you mean but we don't know what the future holds, we always have to be prepared for everything. If we have learned something from the past, then it is that everything is possible."

Kael'thas' lips formed a smile. "You are right. You are pretty smart, Sylvanas. Smarter than everyone else I know," he complimented

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow. "Even smarter than your father?"

The prince shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows. My father hadn't considered the trolls as a threat until you and your sisters proved that the Amani and forest trolls are invading our lands. Who knows how many citizens would have been killed until my father would have realized that the threat is real," he scoffed.

"I still remember the shocked face he had made when your sister Alleria had thrown the separated troll head in front of his feet," he added.

"You can't hold that against him. I wouldn't have believed it either if I wouldn't have seen it with my own eyes. Your father is a very wise man, so are you. Your father rules this kingdom for almost three thousand years and it still exists. No enemy has ever managed to conquer it and not even the trolls or orcs will manage that if we work together with the Alliance"

Kael'thas nodded to her. "You are right," he admitted.

"So, how are your studies going?" Sylvanas asked, breaking the silence which had lasted for a few minutes.

"Well, I'm doing fine. I wish I could tell you what exactly I'm studying but you wouldn't understand it because you are not a mage. To make things easy, let's say I'm trying to learn a fire spell which is better than every other fire spell which is known. It's not easy to learn it and using it has its risk but as soon as I perfect it, it should be pretty powerful," he explained.

He looked at her, admiring her beauty. Like most male high elves, he had fallen for her. She was the most beautiful woman in Quel'Thalas and she belonged to the most popular people of Quel'Thalas as well. He would be very happy to have her as his wife but she had rejected his proposal like all the other proposals she had gotten. Every other woman would have accepted his proposal. Not only because he was very handsome and influential but also because he was pretty smart, funny and powerful. He had lots of admirers but Sylvanas didn't belong to them. She was immune to his charm.

Sylvanas had been the first woman who had ever turned him away. The first and only woman who had done that so far. Others wouldn't dare to do that but Sylvanas was not like other women. She was special. She was aware of herself and got everything she wanted, most of the time. She was not like other women who only took what they got. Most of the time, she got whatever she wanted, because she was very popular and influential.

Rejecting his proposal had hurt Kael'thas at first and he had needed some time to accept that she didn't want him. He had come to terms that Sylvanas wasn't interested in him so he had stopped trying to make her fall in love with him and had befriended her instead. He enjoyed talking to her about interesting topics, news or gossips. They were good friends and nothing could change that.

Not even Sylvanas' father who wanted her to marry him. Sylvanas was an adult woman so she could choose who she wanted to be with. She had the freedom to pick her partner. Not everyone could choose who they wanted to marry. Arranged marriages were not uncommon in the high elven society. Often men and women were promised to each other at a young age. Not everyone was allowed to marry for love.

The marriage of Kael'thas' parents had been arranged as well. They hadn't loved each other at first. Only with the time, they had grown close and had fallen in love with each other. In the case of Sylvanas' parents, it was a wedding of love. They hadn't been forced to marry the other but they had done it anyway because they loved each other so much. Sylvanas could only be grateful that her parents weren't strict and didn't force her to marry the prince. They would be delightful if Sylvanas would marry him but they understood that Sylvanas didn't want to marry someone she didn't love.

Sylvanas and Kael'thas talked for a while until the prince realized that Sylvanas must be here for a reason and not because she wanted to have small talk with him. "I almost forgot to ask you why you came here," he said.

"I want to see your father and talk with him about the campaign against the trolls. Do you know where he is?"

Kael'thas shook his head. "Not really but I could ask the guards or my mother. I mean you could also tell me what you want to say and I can give you advices but I don't really want to talk about strategies right now so I rather look for my father."

"That would be nice" responded Sylvanas, smiling at him. "I will wait here for you if you don't mind"

"It's okay. Stay here while I look for him" responded Kael'thas, slowly walking to room's exit.

"See you later, my prince"

Soft laughter escaped his lips. "See you later, Ranger-General" he left the room a few moments later, leaving Sylvanas and the guards alone in the throne room. He returned half an hour later with his father who walked to his right.

High King Anasterian Sunstrider was wearing a blue robe. His old age of over three thousand years could be recognized by his wrinkled face and his long grey hair. His blue eyes glowed weaker than the eyes of all the other elves. Most male elves detested beards so they shaved their faces whenever they could but High King Anasterian didn't care that beards didn't belong to ideals of beauty of his people. He wore his hair as he wanted and even had a goatee which was as grey as his hair.

Sylvanas bowed to the king, greeting him properly. The High King lowered his head in respect, greeting her as well. Sylvanas got up, looking at the king whose tired eyes rested on her face.

"How can I help you, Ranger-General?" he asked, signalizing Sylvanas to follow her. She did that, following him to his throne. He sat down, checking his surroundings before he looked back at Sylvanas.

"I wanted to report to you that the reinforcements of the humans and dwarves have arrived today."

"How many soldiers did they send?"

"Five thousand in total. Their commanders told me that they need the rest to secure their borders, trade routes, villages and their capital cities. They also need men for patrols," responded Sylvanas.

"Five thousand is better than nothing. You are the expert when it comes to war and skirmishes against the trolls. Do you think we have enough soldiers to defeat the trolls?"

Sylvanas didn't hesitate to answer. "I do. I don't know how many warriors the trolls have nor do I know how many orcs are still out there but I'm pretty sure we will defeat the trolls and the orcs"

"You are a very capable leader, you have always been victorious so I believe you will lead us to victory once again," spoke the High King.

Sylvanas lowered her head in respect, feeling flattered about such a compliment from him. The High King knew she was good and trustworthy so he had allowed her to plan everything without needing to consult with him.

"Thank you, your grace. I have already planned everything. If you agree, I would attack them in two weeks."

"I trust you, Ranger-General, so I believe your plan will work out. I give you permission to do everything necessary to win this war and drive these bastards out of our land."

Sylvanas bowed to him. "I won't disappoint you, your grace."

Anasterian nodded to her, making a gesture with his hand. "You can go now if you want, Ranger-General."

Sylvanas bowed to him again, saying goodbye to him and his son before she turned around and left the throne room.


	26. Time to say goodbye

Sylvanas walked down the stairs and followed the corridor to the dining room where her family was gathered. They were sitting at the table which was set for a meal but they hadn't started eating yet because they were waiting for the last missing member of their family. Sylvanas walked over to her chair, taking a seat. Her gaze wandered from one member of her family to the other until it landed to her mother.

"You could have already started without me, you know," said Sylvanas. She took the jug in front of her and filled her glass with moonberry juice.

"This will be the last meal, we will have together, for quite some will be away for a while soI want to enjoy the delicious food with you together," responded Sylvanas' mother. "This is the last time where we can enjoy the meal together as a family before the war against the trolls and orcs will begin. You and your sisters will be very busy and we won't be able to see you at all so I want that we spend as much time as possible together before you have to go. Nobody knows what will happen in the future, you know."

Sylvanas put her hands on her mother's left hand. "I understand you. You are afraid of losing us but you don't need to. We have participated in so many battles, we will survive this war as well."

"I believe that too but I'm still afraid..."

Sylvanas gave her a comforting smile. "You shouldn't let the worry consume you, you need to think positively if you want to live through the time where we are not are capable of taking care of ourselves and we will return to you, all three of us."

"I know, I know," replied Lireesa. "You are the best ranger I have ever met and Alleria is the second best. I believe that all three of you make it, just do me the favour and watch after your little sister. She is not as experienced as you are so I'm worried about her the most."

Sylvanas put her hands on her mother's cheeks, rubbing them. She looked at her younger sister, giving her a comforting smile before she looked back at her mother and gave her the same smile. "I will always keep her close and I promise that nothing will happen to her."

Lireesa was still worried a bit. "I hope so."

Sylvanas didn't respond to her. She just gave her a calming smile. She turned her head to look at her father. "Is there anything you want to say?"

"I believe you will lead us to victory Sylvanas and your sisters will support you as best as they can. Many of our people were killed by trolls and orcs, it's time to hunt these bastards down and get rid of them once and for all."

Sylvanas gave him a smile, then she looked at Lirath. "You will protect our family while we are away, okay?"

Her brother nodded his head. "I will"

Sylvanas smiled. "Good, then I don't have to be worried."

Her brother returned her smile, staring at her. Sylvanas picked up the cutlery next to her plate and cut a piece of meat from her steak. She put it in her mouth, watching her family do the same as she chewed on the meat. All members were silent for the first few minutes but then they started to talk about casual topics. Sylvanas was glad that neither her mother nor her father asked her if she had changed her mind about marrying Prince Kael'thas. They wanted to spend this last meal together without arguing about anything so they didn't dare to ask her. Sylvanas could see it in her mother's eyes that she was afraid of losing one of her children, so she held her mother's hand while eating, calming her down effectively.

Sylvanas had promised her mother to make sure that none of her siblings will be harmed. Alleria was able to take care of herself but Vereesa was not as experienced as her older siblings. Sylvanas was pretty sure she could also take care of herself because she was a skilled ranger after all. Nevertheless, Sylvanas had decided to always stay close to her and take care of her whenever Vereesa joined her on a mission. She intended to keep all of her promises, especially those she had given to her family.

The dessert was served after the main course. It was the most favourite dessert of the Windrunner siblings - Vanilla pudding with strawberries on top of it. They ate it with joy, getting more and more until nothing was left. They didn't stand up even though they had eaten up everything. They remained on their seats, enjoying the presence of the others while they kept talking. They knew they wouldn't be able to sit together at the same table for a while, so they spent hours talking and joking.

Even though they had really enjoyed the time they had spent, they stood up eventually. The rangers returned to their rooms to pack their things while their parents and Lirath walked to the living room. Sylvanas didn't need to pack much because everything she needed was already in a bag in her office in the headquarters.

She walked over to her bed table, opened the top drawer and pulled out a necklace which was made out of little gems which were coloured differently. It was a gift Verena had given her on the occasion of the ten-year anniversary of their relationship. It served as a lucky charm. Sylvanas always wore it when she went to battle with her rangers. She regarded the item for a few moments before she put it around her neck. That was all she needed. The rest was in her office.

Sylvanas almost bumped into Alleria when she left her room a few moments later. "That was close," said Sylvanas as she managed to avoid colliding with her older sister. She noticed that her sister was nervous and worried as she scrutinized her.

"What is going on?" asked Sylvanas, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"You have never been worried before a battle. You have never been afraid of risking your life for the greater good at least not until today. Something has changed," spoke Sylvanas, eying her sister curiously.

Alleria took a deep breath, looking ashamed at her fingers for a few moments before she looked back at her baby sister. "I'm not afraid of losing my life. I want to defend our people with my life. I'm afraid that my son would lose me, would lose his mother. I don't want to leave him alone. I..." she stopped speaking and lowered her gaze and looked at the floor.

Sylvanas put her hand under her sister's chin, lifting it up so she could stare into her eyes. "You are the best ranger I know. You won't die if you keep your head clear and focus on your surroundings and on your enemies. We will defeat the trolls and orcs and you will return to your son in one piece,"

"You can't know that. Everything is possible. What if we get ambushed like the mother of one of your rangers? What if they catch me or kill me? Who will take care of Arator?" Her sister's voice was louder than usual, her bottom lip was trembling and she was playing with her fingers nervously. Sylvanas soothing words hadn't comforted her at all.

Sylvanas put her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Even if that would happen, he still has his father, not to mention our family who would raise him. You have much more experience than me and you have fought in more battles than me, you have survived every battle you have attended and you have killed every enemy who dared to attack you. I know you will make it again. You just have to be confident enough and trust yourself, sis," she pulled Alleria in a tight hug, caressing her back with her hands. "Everything will be fine. Promised," she whispered in her ear, kissing her cheek softly.

Alleria pulled away after a while. "I hope so."

Sylvanas regarded her from head to toe, noticing the necklace around her neck. She grabbed the necklace, running her index finger over the three gems. An emerald, a ruby and a sapphire. "That's your lucky charm isn't it?"

"Yes"

"It's the necklace our parents gifted to you when you became the youngest Ranger-Captain in elven history, isn't it?" said Sylvanas.

"It is" responded Alleria, caressing her sister's cheek. Sylvanas stared at the necklace for a few moments before she looked back at her sister who regarded her with an amused grin on her lips.

"You are wearing yours as well, I see" spoke Alleria. "You still have feelings for her, don't you?"

"She is just a friend to me, my best friend to be exact," explained Sylvanas. "Why are you asking?"

"I just thought you still have feelings for her because you are wearing her necklace after all this time"

"It brings me luck. I mean, I don't really believe in luck because it's my skill and experience that makes me defeat my opponents and not luck. Nevertheless, I do feel safer when I wear it"

Alleria smiled at her little sister. "Anyways, let's pick up Vereesa before we return to our family to say goodbye."

Sylvanas nodded. "Go ahead"

Alleria did the first move and Sylvanas followed her. They came to Vereesa's room, knocking at her door. Vereesa opened the door without hesitation, letting her sisters in. Her room looked similar to the rooms of her older sisters. She had the same pieces of furniture. The only difference was that they were arranged differently. For example, her bed stood on the left side of the room while the beds of her sisters stood in the middle of their rooms.

Vereesa walked over to her wardrobe and picked up the backpack which stood in front of it. She turned back to her sisters. "I'm ready."

Sylvanas gave her a nod, signalizing her to follow. The three sisters walked out of the room, followed the corridor and climbed down the stairs so until they reached the first floor. They walked to the living room where their family was already waiting. But not only Lirath and their parents were present. Their uncles, aunts and cousins were also there to say goodbye to them.

It was not easy for them to say goodbye, especially because their mother got very emotional when she said goodbye to their children. She had attended lots of battles and skirmishes with her children but these battles had only endured for hours or days at maximum. None of them had attended a battle or a war which had lasted longer than a few days. Lireesa knew that her children were the best rangers Quel'Thalas had and that they could take care of themselves. Nevertheless, she was afraid that something might happen to them. She didn't want to lose any of her children.

She would be more relaxed if she could join them and fight by their sides. But she couldn't fight because of her disease. Going to war with her daughters would only lead to her death. She couldn't move very fast and her reactions had also suffered under her disease. She was not a fighter anymore. She was a mother, housekeeper and vendor. But she was not a ranger anymore and that plagued her and made her sad.

She had loved being a ranger, she had loved being responsible for the safety of her people and she had loved to fight for those who couldn't. She had loved to be the Ranger-General, the leader of the Farstriders. Everyone had looked up to her and admired her. She had been a very popular person. She was still popular, lots of people visited her store and spent time with her. She got lots of friends she had met during her days as a ranger. She was not forgotten. She never will no matter what will happen. Nevertheless, her greatest wish was to be a ranger once again.

Lireesa had hugged her daughters longer than necessary, tears had rolled down her cheeks when she had embraced her youngest daughter. Her daughters had comforted her, promised her that everything will be alright and she believed them. She knew her descendants will lead the high elves to victory and get rid of the troll and orc problem.

Lireesa regarded her daughters as long as possible, accompanying them to their horses after they had said goodbye to everyone. She stood at the door of their front garden, waving at them as long as they were in her sight. She remained there for a couple of minutes, even though she couldn't see them anymore, then she returned to the house.

Her husband approached her, rubbing her back as he hugged her tightly. She rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying the body contact with him.

"Don't worry, love. They can take care of themselves. I know they will return in one piece."

"I know, my love. I know, you are right," she whispered and put her head on his shoulder.

"I've brewed your favourite tea. I hope it helps you to calm down and relax," he said, giving her a small smile.

"Thank you, my dear," she responded, kissing his cheek softly.

A smile appeared on Zalien's lips. He wrapped his arm around his wife's waist, slowly guiding her to the living room.

* * *

"You are nervous" diagnosed Liadrin as she regarded her cousin.

Kelrian placed the cup, he was holding, in front of him, and looked at his hands which were shaking a bit. "We are going to war, of course I'm nervous. I have never been to war before. I may have killed a few trolls but that happened years ago. I haven't killed an enemy for a while. A real enemy at least. I don't count lynxes and bears as enemies. Killing orcs and trolls will be a lot harder than killing lynxes or bears, not to mention that they are a lot deadlier."

"I'm pretty sure you won't hesitate to kill them if they approach you. You have to kill them if you want to survive and defend our people," mentioned his cousin.

"I know, I know. I will give my best. I will have no mercy with these creatures and slay as many of them as I can. They crippled my mother and they will pay for that." announced Kelrian, sounding far more determined than he had sounded before.

Liadrin walked over to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. "You got this. I believe in you!"

A small smile appeared on his lips. "Thank you, Liadrin."

She returned his smile. "Don't worry, I will look after your family as long as you are away. I will make sure that your father won't kidnap them."

"So, I don't have to worry about them which means I can fully focus on the upcoming war."

"You have to remain focused during the war, otherwise...," she paused for a moment. "You can't allow yourself to be distracted, not even for a short moment. Every single moment can decide between life and death. You have to be careful."

"I know and I will" he responded, sounding self-confident.

Liadrin regarded him for a few moments. "You should go to your mother and siblings to say goodbye to them. You have to go soon if you want to reach Silvermoon City in time," she reminded.

"You are right. I don't have much time left. I should visit them for the last time before I will be away for a while," said Kelrian, getting up quickly. He hugged Liadrin, kissing her left cheek. He pulled away and walked out of the living room.

He took the stairs, arriving on the second floor. He moved to his siblings' room, knocking at the door. Sindor's high-pitched voice told Kelrian that he was allowed to get in. He entered the room, spotting his siblings on the floor. They were sitting there and played a game of chess. They got up as soon as they saw him, scrutinizing him from head to toe. They didn't need to ask what he wanted. They saw the clothes he was wearing so they knew that he was about to join the other Farstriders and go to war with them.

Cincia rushed to him, wrapped her arms around his upper body and hugged him tightly. Kelrian smiled as he regarded her from above, running his fingers through her hair. Cincia pulled away after a while, allowing Sindor to hug him as well, who didn't let him go for nearly five minutes. But he let him go eventually, knowing he had to leave soon.

"I wish you didn't have to go," said Cincia, making a sad face.

"I wish the same but the other rangers and I have to fight the trolls and orcs. We have to defeat them to make sure they never attack our people again."

"I wish there would be another solution to end this conflict. War always means the loss of good men and women. War only leaves death and destruction behind. Widowers and widows, orphans and broken people. There is nothing good about war" spoke Sindor, his voice was low and sounded sad.

"But it's still necessary for the survival of our race. The High King had tried to negotiate with the Horde but all of his suggestions have been rejected by Zul'jin and Orgrim Doomhammer. They don't want peace so war is all we can offer them if they don't let us and the other kingdoms of the Alliance in peace," explained Kelrian.

"I still wish there would be another solution. We don't want to lose you"

A sad smile appeared on Kelrian's lips. He was imagining what his family would do if he would die during the war. They would be shattered but they would accept his death sooner or later. They would mourn for him and they would curse all trolls and orcs but they would get used to his absence. They had to if this case would ever occur.

Kelrian didn't want them to be sad nor did he want to die. He would give his best and kill as many trolls and orcs as possible. He would even risk his life if necessary. He wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice his life for the greater good but only if it would be necessary. He knew that his family and Sylvanas would mourn for him so he would give his best to not die. One life was nothing compared to thousands. Winning the war had top priority, surviving was second. Nevertheless, he would give his best to survive.

"I don't want to lose you either. I can take care of myself and I will return alive in one piece."

"Promised?" asked Cincia, her voice trembled so did her hands.

Kelrian put his hand on her shoulder, giving her a comforting look. "Promised."

He stayed in their room for a few more minutes, talking to them until he decided that it was time to visit his mother. He told his siblings he will meet them again before his departure, then he walked to his mother's room, entering it as soon he got the permission.

Liana was sitting on her bed and put aside the book she was reading until this very moment. She got up and walked over to her son, hugging him immediately. She rested her head on his chest and started to sob. Tears ran down her cheeks but she ignored them. But Kelrian didn't ignore them. He wiped them away. He hugged her tightly, caressing her back softly. He whispered comforting words in her ears, managing to calm her down eventually. She didn't pull away, hugging him even tighter than before.

"I don't want you to go," she whispered.

The corner of his lips formed a sad smile. "I know but I have to."

"There are so many other rangers, they will win this war without you."

"We outnumber the trolls, that's right. Nevertheless, we need every skilled person we can get. The more soldiers we have, the larger our chance of victory is. The Ranger-General counts me to her best rangers so my presence will make a difference. At least I'm hoping that."

"You haven't killed a living intelligent creature for years. You are not used to killing others. How can you be sure you will be able to kill them before they kill you? What if you hesitate to end them and they take advantage of that?" Her face was full of worry, her skin was very pale and her hands were shaking.

Kelrian put her face in his hands, caressing her cheeks softly. "I will never spare any of these miserable creatures, not after what they have done to you. I will avenge your fallen comrades and the arm you have lost. They have ruined your carrier and crippled you. I will make sure they will pay for everything they have done to our people," he spoke, sounding very determined. Liana could have been mistaken but she assumed that she might have noticed a small amount of hatred which was reflected by his eyes. He had every reason to hate orcs and trolls. Nonetheless, she didn't approach him about what she had seen.

Liana was silent for a few moments. She was an emotional wreck but he managed to calm her down as he had done with his siblings. He was very good at comforting and calming down people. His mere presence was often enough to reassure others. Not even Kelrian himself knew how he was doing that. He just did it whenever someone needed comfort and it worked almost every time. That was his special talent.

His mother pulled away after a while, wiping tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. "I understand that you have to go. You want to protect our people. You want to protect us as well. I understand that even though I don't like the thought that you might get in danger."

"I have chosen this life, I have chosen to become a ranger, knowing the risk this life entails. I'm a fighter, risking my life every day is normal for me. I managed to free you, Sindor and Cincia out of father's grasp. I survived his revenge and I will survive this war as well. I wouldn't belong to the Ranger-General's elite if I wouldn't be able to take care of myself. I also belonged to the best of the newest generation of rangers."

"But that doesn't make you immortal or invulnerable" interrupted his mother whose eyes still reflected worry.

"I know, I have never indicated that. I'm just a man after all but I know what I am doing. I may not have the same amount of experience others have but I will become more experienced with the time. I will always be careful. Promised," he gave her a small smile, patting her shoulder softly. Liana didn't say anything in return, she just looked at her son, silently praying for his safety. He returned her gaze, clearing his throat after a few minutes.

"I need to go now. Will you accompany me to the door so I could say goodbye to you and the others?"

"Of course I will" she responded, walking to the door. Kelrian followed her to the entrance hall. He picked up his backpack, which was lying there, and swung it over his shoulder. He hugged every single member of his family for the last time before he left the house, waving at them as he walked to his horse which was tied to the nearest tree. He mounted the horse, glancing back at his family who was standing in front of the house. His gaze rested on them for a few moments, he waved at them for the last time before he spurred his horse and rode off, staring straight ahead.

* * *

Kelrian arrived at the tent he had been ordered to, greeting the two rangers who were standing in front of it. They greeted him in return, signalizing him to enter the tent. Kelrian knew he was awaited so he didn't hesitate to enter the large blue tent. He walked to the table in the middle of the tent around which Sylvanas, Alleria and three other familiar persons were standing.

To Sylvanas' left was Verena, to her right was a man with the name Lor'themar Theron. He was one of Sylvanas' rangers, he didn't belong to her elite team but he was a member of her regiment which meant he had to be pretty good. Neither he or Verena let show that the presence of the last person was annoying them. They weren't annoyed because of the way the person behaved. They were annoyed by its mere presence because the person was different than them. That person was also a ranger like them but it was not a Farstrider. It was not an elven ranger. Not a high elf. That person was a human.

Nathanos Marris gave his best to ignore the unpleasant stares Verena and Lor'themar were giving him from time to time. Sylvanas, Alleria and Kelrian were the only ones who tolerated the young human. Sylvanas respected Nathanos because she knew that he was a very skilled ranger, better than most of her rangers. He was also better than Lor'themar who he had defeated in a training fight not long ago. That was the main reason why Lor'themar was not pleased about his presence, but also because he didn't understand why a human was accompanying them.

Verena didn't seem to like humans either, especially not those who come out of nowhere and spent too much time with her best friend. Alleria was the entire opposite of her. She liked humans, she had never hated them. Unlike most high elves, she didn't think that their race was superior to the human race. She was in a relationship with a human and she even had a half-breed son with him.

Kelrian didn't mind Nathanos' presence. It was Nathanos who had saved him that day when the mercenaries had attacked him. Without him, Kelrian's wounds would have been worse. In the worst case, he wouldn't have been able to attend the war if his wounds would have needed more time to heal.

Kelrian came to the table, greeting every present person. All of them returned the greeting, looking at him for a few seconds before they looked back at the table. There was a map of Quel'Thalas and its bordering territories on which many figures were standing. Some of these figures looked like troll warriors, some of them looked like humans, dwarves, high elves and even orcs. Kelrian knew that the purpose of these figures was to show everyone where allied and enemy troops were stationed.

Kelrian's eyes rested on Sylvanas as she explained her plan. She told them that she didn't want to attack the trolls with their entire army, instead, she wanted to send out groups which would clear smaller troll bases and camps before the army will take care of the capital city of the trolls. Zul'Aman - The city where the coward Zul'jin was hiding after he had been freed from his prison by the orcs.

A third of the rangers and a third of the reinforcements from the Alliance should strengthen the borders of Quel'Thalas while the second third of the Farstriders should patrol meanwhile and look out for invading groups who had managed to sneak in the elven territory. The last third should attack the troll bases and camps.

"Alleria's and my team will sneak into the nearest troll base during midnight and kill all sixty trolls there. Ranger-Captain Verena's and Ranger-Lieutenant Lor'themar's teams will wait outside the base in the nearest forest. They will give us backup if something goes wrong. Just watch out for a fiery arrow which I will shot in the air if we need help. Other groups will do the same with the other bases and camps near the border," she made a small pause to check if everybody understood what she had said.

"If everything works out, we can force the trolls to retreat from our borders and give up a quarter of their territory. We will continue until they can only hide in their capital city which will also fall, sooner or later. The second regiment will take care of the forest trolls in the east. Are there any questions or does someone else have a better idea?"

Sylvanas looked around, finding out that her companions agreed with her plan. A pleased smile appeared on her lips as she shifted her gaze to Kelrian, noticing that he was smiling as well. Her gaze rested longer than necessary on him but he didn't mind that. He loved to stare into her gorgeous blue eyes so did she.

Verena cleared her throat. She was the only one in the tent who knew about Sylvanas and Kelrian, so she did her best to prevent that someone would interpret something out of their behaviour. The others were wondering why these two individuals were looking at each other for so long. Verena had acted correctly and brought them back to reality before any other present person would have noticed something.

"Okay," said Sylvanas, not knowing what else to say.

Luckily for her, Alleria took over. "If there are no questions, I interpret that everyone understands what he or she has to do. If that's the case, we will meet in near the base two hours before midnight."

The others nodded to Alleria, so Sylvanas dismissed everyone. Even Kelrian who walked away with Verena.


	27. First Assault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've noticed that I've made a mistake in the last chapter. I wrote that Kelrian said that he never killed a troll before, which is not true because he killed his first troll in chapter eleven. I have already changed that. I just want to inform those who have read the unchanged version. It doesn't really matter because it doesn't affect anything. It's just a small detail I wanted to correct.
> 
> Also, I want to remind you that this is a Warcraft fanfiction which means things like violence, loss, pain and death will play a role from this chapter on. The main plot of the story begins now.

Kelrian's steps were noiseless as he followed Sylvanas through the grass. But he was not the only one who followed her. Nathanos, Zetai and six other rangers followed her through the forest. They didn't talk nor did they make any sound as they walked. It was half an hour before midnight, the air was cold and the night was quiet. The treetops didn't hinder the elves to look at the clear sky. The bright moon was the only source of light but it didn't reveal the position of the rangers. They were protected by the forest so no troll could see them, not even those who were standing on the highest wooden tower in the middle of the base.

The group was not far away from the base. Only a march of ten minutes at maximum. Sylvanas' spies had scouted the baseto the last detail. Sylvanas knew everything about the base. The exact number of trolls which maned the base, the locations of the trolls' traps and the routes their patrols were walking. Inside and outside. She knew how many weapons and supplies they had. She even knew what they were supposed to do. Mel'ron had found a letter which he had handed to one of the few elves who were able to read and speak the troll language.

Thanks to him, Sylvanas knew that Zul'jin wasn't prepared for a real offensive. He planned to let groups of trolls attack different areas in Quel'Thalas to keep the high elves busy. He was hoping they wouldn't lead an offensive against him because he wasn't ready yet. He needed more time to prepare his people for the war.

Of course, Sylvanas wouldn't give him the time he would need. She planned to take control of every single outpost which was occupied by the trolls. Her troops would get closer to Zul'Aman with every base they would conquer. She could siege those bases and demolish them but she didn't want to lose too many soldiers so she had chosen the sneaky way.

Groups of twenty or more rangers would infiltrate the bases at night and kill all trolls which were stationed in these bases. Sylvanas' and Alleria's groups were not the only groups which will sneak into a troll base. Other captains and lieutenants would invade bases with their best rangers and would kill all trolls there.

A group of twelve people would be enough to clear a base of forty trolls. They wouldn't lose a single ranger if they would be careful and kill one small group of trolls after the other. There were always two groups of at least ten people who remained outside the targeted base. They would assist the invading group if they would need help or if the trolls would notice their presence. They also would take care of any troll patrol who was walking outside the targeted base or camp.

The base Sylvanas and Alleria had selected was by far the largest base near the border of Quel'Thalas. There were by far larger bases and camps near the capital city of the trolls. Sylvanas was sure she would need at least five teams of twenty people to clear such a large camp. But this base was not as large as the ones which were awaiting them, so she only needed twenty rangers. She had cleared larger bases with fewer rangers so she was pretty sure everything would run smoothly.

The group merged with the surroundings, hiding in the shadows so they become invisible for the naked eye. The troll lookouts stared in their direction but they didn't see them nor did they hear them. They weren't aware that ten rangers were coming from the west while ten more rangers were coming from the east. Sylvanas' group would kill everyone in the left half of the base while Alleria's group would take care of the rest.

In the end, they had planned to surround the remaining trolls, then kill or capture them. It was not the first time they were doing that. They had used this tactic half a dozen of times and it had always worked. They had always been victorious and only lost one or two rangers at maximum while they had killed most of their enemies and captured the survivors. Sylvanas had a good feeling that this time wouldn't be different.

The group arrived at the wooden wall, which was very thick and tall. Sylvanas didn't need to do more than making a gesture to make everyone understand what they were supposed to do at this very moment. They opened their backpacks and pulled out long ropes with grappling hooks. They didn't wait long to throw the hooked ends over the wooden battlements. The hooks clung on the battlements, allowing the rangers to climb up slowly. They didn't make any sound so none of the trolls, who stood on top of the wall, noticed them.

The first thing Sylvanas' group did was to check their surroundings. They spotted five trolls in their near. Three of them stood on a small tower while two others were walking away from Sylvanas and her group. Half a dozen fire bowls stood on top of the wall, allowing the trolls to warm themselves and use the fire to ignite the tips of their arrows for the case that someone would attack them.

They could spot more bonfires, which were used as light sources, spread all over the base just like the dozens of small tents where the trolls were resting. On top of the large tower in the middle of the base stood seven trolls. Thanks to Sylvanas' good eyes, she could recognize six archers and a shaman who was carrying a wand made out of oakwood and decorated with engraved glowing runes. Sylvanas also recognized the shapes of ten people who had just arrived on top of the wall on the other side of the base. It was Alleria's group. Like her sister, she was also ready.

The trolls on the turret were not looking in their direction nor did the patrolling trolls. Sylvanas and her group weren't invisible anymore so they had to be careful. They couldn't allow anyone to see them. A single shout would be enough to warn the entire base and cause the stealth mission to fail. They had to be careful and avoid doing rash moves. Otherwise, they had to fight all trolls at the same time which would only lead to unnecessary deaths from their side.

Sylvanas' voice was low, she spoke quickly to lower the chance that someone might hear them. She gave her group commands, moving forward when she was sure that everyone had understood what to do. Zetai, Mel'ron and three of her rangers were taking care of the two patrolling trolls while Kelrian, Nathanos and the two remaining rangers will help Sylvanas to take care of the trolls on the small tower.

They didn't make any sound as they came closer to the trolls who didn't notice their presence. They were staring in the far as they talked about something none of the elves couldn't understand because they didn't know their language. Sylvanas knew a few words of the troll language but her vocabulary was not enough to allow her to understand what they were talking about. _Women_ and _fighting_ were the only words she had understood. But it didn't matter what they were talking about because all of them will be dead very soon.

Sylvanas made a gesture, signalizing everyone to attack. Sylvanas slit the throat of the first troll while one ranger pressed her hand on the troll's mouth, preventing that he could scream. The second troll couldn't scream because she was beheaded by Kelrian. Nathanos rammed his sword through the last troll's back. The blade pierced through his heart, killing him quickly. Unfortunately, screams came out of his mouth before he was finally dead but they were muffled by the strong hand of the third ranger.

The screams weren't that loud so no troll heard them. The group laid the dead bodies on the ground behind the battlement so they were hidden well enough.

They looked at the large tower, sighing out in relief as they noticed that none of these trolls had spotted them. But Sylvanas knew it was only a matter of time until they would spot them so her group had to take them out as fast as possible. She looked to the other side of the wall, noticing that Alleria's groups had killed all the guards there. Only the north and south walls were still manned by trolls. For the moment but not for long.

Sylvanas gave her group the next orders. The group split, Zetai and his little group of four rangers climbed down the staircase while Sylvanas rushed to the north wall with the rest. They spotted six trolls in total. Three of them carried large axes in their hands while the others carried smaller axes in each of their hands. Their heads were turned in their directions but the rangers weren't in their sights. Sylvanas noticed that so she told her followers to use their bows.

Five arrows swooshed through the air without getting noticed by the trolls. Four arrows hit their targets, the last one barely missed the large troll with the red mohawk. But he and the other survivor were dead before they could do anything. Sylvanas and Kelrian had shot two more arrows in the meantime where the other rangers had reloaded their bows. Sylvanas' arrow had hit the troll in the left eye and pierced his brain while Kelrian's arrow had hit the other in the neck.

Noises were hearable as the dead bodies fell over. The guards near the base's entrance looked up to the wall but they didn't see anything from their position so three of them walked up the stairs, checking their surroundings again and again with each step they made.

They spotted Sylvanas and her group near the dead trolls but it was already too late for them. The trolls were killed before they could warn their comrades. Sylvanas and her group hid in the shadows only for a few moments but these moments were enough for them to climb down the stairs unnoticed and kill every single troll near the front gate. They rushed over to one of the empty tents, hiding in it. Kelrian and Sylvanas checked their surroundings, noticing that the south wall was cleared as well.

They saw Zetai and his group near the largest base tower on which the seven trolls were still standing without having any idea what was going on. Kelrian was wondering how the trolls couldn't have noticed a thing until this moment. He couldn't believe that they didn't pay attention to their surroundings. They weren't doing their tasks properly, otherwise, they would have already spotted the numerous troll corpses. Of course, he didn't mind that because the inattentiveness of the trolls only benefitted them.

Everything was looking great, nevertheless, he was mistrustful. They had killed lots of trolls so far, nevertheless, he wasn't delighted yet. Something was suspicious about this whole situation. They trolls died too easily. Maybe they were just too dumb to notice the invaders or maybe there was another reason why they didn't pay attention to their surroundings. He was afraid that the trolls had set a trap. He couldn't believe that the trolls were that dumb. They weren't the smartest creatures, he knew about that, but they weren't that dumb either. There had to be a reason why the trolls let themselves be taken out so quickly.

Maybe there was something wrong about this entire base. Maybe Kelrian was just misinterpreting things. Maybe there was nothing wrong about this base but he just thought there was something wrong. Maybe his paranoia was justified. Maybe not. He only knew one thing. He had to be careful and be prepared for everything. Just like the other members of his group.

"Is everyone ready?" asked Sylvanas, her voice was not much louder than a whisper. Everyone nodded their heads.

"Follow me," she whispered then she rushed out of the tent. She grabbed a torch which stuck in the ground and ignited the nearest tents. Kelrian did the same while the three other rangers shot arrows at the trolls on top of the tower. Their shaman noticed them first, casting a spell. A female ranger not far away from Kelrian was struck by lightning. Her body was flung away, landing dozens of meters away from them. Kelrian rushed over to her, checking if she was alright.

Unfortunately, she was not. She was dead, her body was burned. The smell of burned flesh stung in his nose but he ignored it as best as he could. He nocked an arrow, firing at the troll shaman who was already casting the next spell. The arrow missed him, so did Sylvanas' arrow. Sylvanas and Kelrian never missed a non-moving target so it could only mean that magic was involved. They assumed that the flight paths of the arrows had been shifted so they had barely missed their target. There was only one form of magic which could do that. Elemental magic. It was the work of a second shaman who had manipulated the wind.

Kelrian checked his surroundings while nocking the next arrow, spotting a troll next to one of the tower's feet. It was a young female troll with short red hair and an ugly scar beneath her left eye. Her face distorted in anger, her eyes narrowed as she spotted Kelrian. She dodged his arrow at the last moment, preparing a spell. But she was not able to finish the spell because a familiar ranger beheaded her from behind.

Zetai came in Kelrian's sight, kicking the corpse away as he looked in Kelrian's direction. He gave his friend a short nod, climbing the staircase as fast as possible.

Kelrian didn't hesitate to fire arrows at the trolls. The shaman had been killed in the meantime by three of Sylvanas' arrows. The rangers on the ground killed three of the six troll archers, taking cover as the trolls started to fire back. But they weren't able to shot many arrows which could hit the rangers because Zetai and his group approached them and killed them before they even noticed their arrival. None of Sylvanas' rangers had been injured or killed by the trolls on the tower.

Kelrian recognized the warning sounds of horns but it was already too late for the troll garrison. Half of their defenders were already dead and the remaining trolls were spread out all over the base. Half of the elven invaders stood on top of the wall or on top of the base towers and shot at every troll which came out one of these tents while the rest remained on the ground and made sure no troll could escape through the main entrance. Troll after troll fell until only three badly injured individuals remained.

One of them was the leader of the base, a muscular troll with short green hair and a full beard. The two others were younger and slimmer. They were forced to their knees, their arms were tied behind their backs. Their eyes were narrowed and reflected hatred as they stared at the Ranger-General who was leaning against one of the supporting pillars of the large tower. Her sister was standing next to her, making a disgusted face as her eyes roamed over the survivors.

"How many rangers did we lose?" asked Sylvanas, her eyes didn't leave the leader's face.

"Three," responded Alleria.

A sad sigh escaped Sylvanas' lips. She was silent for a few moments but then she spoke. "Bring them back to our base so we can bury them in Silvermoon City. Collect the troll corpses and count them, check the surroundings for trolls who might hide somewhere. Make sure you are always in a group of three rangers when you walk around. I don't want to lose more rangers."

The rangers saluted to her and grouped up, walking away to fulfil their tasks. Kelrian grouped up with Zetai and Nathanos. Together they walked alongside the left wall of the base and looked for survivors. They found two trolls who were hiding in one of the few tents which weren't consumed by the flames.

These trolls hugged each other, their eyes were closed as they muttered a few sentences. It seems that they were pretty close, so Kelrian assumed that they were either relatives or lovers. The trolls turned their heads as soon as they recognized the presence of the rangers. The male got up and positioned himself in front of the female. He lifted his hands in surrender, his lips moved quickly and lots of words came out of his mouth. None of the rangers understood a word but they were pretty sure that the troll was begging them to spare the woman.

Kelrian regarded the female troll from head to toe, his eyes widened as she stood up. He realized why the male troll was begging for her life. She was in an advanced state of pregnancy.

Kelrian was wondering what a pregnant troll was doing in a military base. After taking a closer look at her, he realized what her purpose was. She was not very muscular and not very tall compared to other female trolls. She was not a warrior, a scout or a hunter. She had to be a cook or a healer. Basically, she was a civilian. Kelrian was about to say something to his comrades as Zetai pushed him to the side and pulled his sword from his belt.

The male troll didn't move an inch, his facial expression didn't reflect the amount of fear he was feeling. He was not afraid of losing his life, he was afraid for the troll woman and the child in her belly. The female's expression spoke volumes. She was afraid of dying, she was afraid of losing her mate and her child. Her entire body was shaking, her bottom lip trembled and tears ran down her cheeks.

They were unarmed and they had surrendered so there was no reason which justified that Zetai had drawn his sword and gave them a hateful look. Kelrian noticed that Zetai lifted the arm which held the sword, meaning he was about to strike. He reacted quickly and stepped in front of the troll, stretching his arms out.

"What are you doing?" shouted the irritated Kelrian. His eyes were narrowed and rested on the larger male who gave him a confused look.

"I could ask you the same," said Zetai in return. His voice reflected his lack of understanding pretty well.

"Preventing that you kill them."

Zetai's expression didn't change at all. "But why? They are our enemies. They are brutal murderers. Have you forgotten what they have done to our people? Have you forgotten what they have done to my village or to your mother?" His voice was much louder than before and reflected the hatred he was feeling for the trolls.

Kelrian shook his head. "I have not forgotten what the trolls have done to our people. But these two individuals didn't do anything."

"You can't know that," spat Zetai. "You don't know how many people they have killed so far. Maybe they have killed dozens or more. You can't tell me that they are innocent. Not a single troll is innocent. They are all the same. Inferior mass-murdering creatures who kill others for their own amusement. They deserve to die after everything they have done to our people since the foundation of Silvermoon City and Quel'Thalas. We didn't start the war with them. They started it thousands of years ago when they invaded our land for the first time. Now get out of my way!"

He put his hand on Kelrian's chest, intending to push him away but the smaller ranger remained on the spot, staring into his friend's eyes.

Zetai growled. "Why are you protecting them?"

"She is a pregnant woman. Have you forgotten that?"

"I don't care if she is pregnant or not. She is a troll that's reason enough to kill her. She is carrying her disgusting brood in her belly which means it will grow up eventually and attack us sooner or later. Trust me, I do us all a favour by ending her life before her brood endangers the life of someone else," roared Zetai. His face was distorted in anger, his eyes reflected pure hatred. His hand was clenched tightly around the hilt of his sword, his other hand grasped Kelrian's shoulder. He didn't realize that he was inflicting pain to his friend but the younger ranger didn't say a word. He just stared at his friend, hoping he could calm him down somehow.

"They are our prisoners, Zetai. We don't kill our prisoners, do we? We are not like them or like the orcs. We are better than them, right? You always preached that our race is superior to them. You are not better than them if you slaughter them like cattle."

A loud groan escaped Zetai's lips. "I don't care" he hissed and pushed Kelrian away. He fell onto the ground landing next to the troll pair who was still regarding them, not knowing what was going on. Zetai turned his head, looking at the trolls. "It's time to say goodbye, you bastards," he spat out, lifting his sword above his head. He smirked as he lowered the weapon which came closer and closer to the male troll's head.

He would have chopped his head off if Nathanos wouldn't have grabbed his arm and pulled it back. Zetai turned around, giving the human an irritated look. The irritation disappeared quickly and was replaced by anger. "How dare you? How dare you stop me _human_?" Zetai growled. The word human was stressed negatively, which told Kelrian and Nathanos that the large elf didn't like humans either. He was disgusted by them the same as he was by trolls. Kelrian had always known that Zetai didn't like trolls but he had never thought he didn't like humans either.

He didn't leap into hasty conclusions but he had gotten the impression that Zetai didn't like other races in general. He had always expressed that he believed the high elves were better than any other race. But that didn't make him to racist, did it? Kelrian was hoping that at least. He knew his friend pretty well and he had witnessed some of his rage outbursts of rage but he had never seen him behave like that before.

These two trolls hadn't done anything to him, nevertheless, he wanted to slaughter them for what the other members of their race had done. Kelrian didn't recognize his friend anymore. Zetai had always been friendly to everyone. Well to every high elf to be exact. He was a pretty smart guy who could control himself and didn't rush things.

But at this very moment, he was anything but that. He allowed his emotions to take control of him. His anger and hatred for trolls spoke and acted for him. He was not himself anymore so he needed to be stopped before he would do something he would regret later.

Nathanos kept holding his arm, trying to pull him away from the trolls but Zetai resisted. He bit his bottom lip hard and focused all of his strength to move the angry ranger away from the prisoners but he didn't manage that. Zetai lost his patience and pushed Nathanos back, causing that he landed on the ground. He turned around, a loud hiss escaped his lips as he noticed that Kelrian stood in front of the trolls and had drawn his swords from his belt. "You have to get past me if you want to kill them. I can't allow that you hurt our prisoners, especially because one of them is a pregnant woman."

A frustrated shout escaped Zetai's lips as he noticed Kelrian wasn't bluffing. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't hurt his friend but a voice in his head told him to kill every single troll he could find. Killing them meant he had to hurt Kelrian as well. He couldn't do that, could he?

But he wanted to kill these bastards so badly. He was thirsty for blood. Killing ten trolls during the attack hadn't been enough for him. He wanted more. He wanted to spill more troll blood, wanted to end more troll lives. He wanted to make them suffer for everything they had done to his family and to his village. He would love to cut the unborn baby out of the mother's belly and then kill her in front of the man's eyes before he would kill him.

But he couldn't because Kelrian and Nathanos, who had walked to Kelrian and had drawn his sword in the meantime, prevented that. Zetai looked at the scared trolls, then he looked at his comrades. He muttered something unintelligible before he turned around and walked away, leaving the elf and the human alone with the trolls.

Kelrian stared at Zetai as he left. He couldn't believe that he had behaved like that. Zetai had some serious anger problems and the events of the past were still plaguing him. He knew he needed to talk to him as soon as he had calmed down. Zetai needed help. He shouldn't go in a rampage whenever he would spot a troll. He would get himself in danger if he wouldn't manage to control his anger. Kelrian didn't want to imagine what could happen if Zetai would charge alone at a group of trolls even though someone had given the order to retreat. He didn't want to imagine what would happen if Zetai's rage would lead him to do stupid things...

Kelrian took a deep breath, looking at Nathanos who frowned. The human shrugged his shoulders, pointing at the troll couple. "What are we doing with them?"

Kelrian rubbed his chin as he looked at them. "We should take them to the Ranger-General," he said eventually. Nathanos nodded in agreement. Together, they brought the trolls back to the Ranger-General. It didn't really surprise them that the trolls didn't fight back or tried to escape. They knew they would only make things worse if they would resist. Their chances of survival were larger if they would behave well and wouldn't cause unnecessary trouble.

Sylvanas walked towards them as she saw them. She stopped in front of them, scrutinizing the red-haired troll and his pregnant partner. She looked at two groups of three rangers each, signalizing them to come closer. "Bring these prisoners back to our base but make sure they are alright. They might be trolls but they are still living creatures. We don't hurt pregnant women, no matter to which race they belong **.**

"As you wish, Ranger-General" one of Alleria's rangers said.

"You go with them Nathanos."

The human lowered his head in respect. "As you wish."

Sylvanas waited until they were out of her sight so she and Kelrian were alone while the other rangers were still busy. "You did well today," she complimented.

"Thank you" he responded. His face was supposed to reflect pride but instead, his eyes reflected grief.

Sylvanas frowned. "What's wrong?"

Kelrian said the name of the female elf who had been killed by the lightning strike. His voice reflected sadness. "She was right next to me but I couldn't save her..."

Sylvanas exhaled loudly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We can't save everyone, my dear. This is war. People die. People we know die and we can't always prevent that. I know it sucks but that is what life is. Life is cruel. We can only make the best out of it". She put her hand on his cheek, making sure that no one was watching them before she caressed it. She pressed a soft kiss on his cheek, giving him a comforting smile.

"You are right. Like us, she chose this life. She knew about all the dangers and risks but she still chose it because she wanted to help others. We are not doing this for our amusement. We are not going to war against the trolls because we want more territories. We are only protecting our people, that's why we fight against the trolls and orcs.

And to protect them we have to defeat the trolls and orcs once and for all. This war will cost lots of lives but every single lost life will not be forgotten. We will make sure that they didn't die in vain. We will defeat the trolls and the orcs so our people can live in peace without having to fear that they might get attacked by trolls or orcs one day," spoke Kelrian, staring into her eyes.

"You are right about that, my love. This war will be hard but I believe we will succeed. We have the support of the dwarves and humans. The humans have defeated the orcs once so they can do it again and we will help them as soon as we have defeated the trolls."

"I'm aware of the dangerous life of a ranger, so I don't mind risking my life. I'm glad that I'm one of your rangers. I have always dreamed of defending our people together with you. I'm glad this dream came true."

Sylvanas returned his smile, caressing his left cheek once again. She stared into his eyes, so did he. They did that for a few minutes, pulling away as they heard footsteps. Alleria approached them and congratulated her sister for the successful attack. She wrapped her arm around Sylvanas' shoulders, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. Sylvanas smiled at her, caressing her cheek.

"You did well too, sis."

Alleria's smile became wider. "Thank you." She regarded Kelrian for a few moments before she looked back at her baby sister. "Do you have any idea how many men will stay in this base and hold it?"

"I don't have the exact number in mind but we should station at least two hundred people here. The base is so large that it's impossible to cover every corner with only sixty men. You have seen how easy it has been to get in the base and take out the trolls one by one because they had stationed too few warriors there. I don't want that to happen with to our people so I want to cover every single corner with patrols and rangers who always remain on the same spot.

We also have to upgrade the base in general. We should make the wall better and higher, build more towers and let more scouts patrol around this base and the other bases we have captured today. I want to be informed quickly when a group of trolls are seen somewhere so we have enough time to get prepared for an attack. The humans and dwarves sent us five thousand men so I'm pretty sure we will have enough men we can station somewhere or send on patrols."

"You are right, sister," responded Alleria. "Before I forget, we have collected all the dead trolls and pilled them up. Shall we burn them or bury them?"

"Burn them," responded Sylvanas without thinking twice.

Alleria nodded her head. "As you wish, my dear sister." She walked away quickly, leaving Kelrian and Sylvanas alone.

"Come, we should follow her," said Sylvanas.

Kelrian nodded his head. "After you, my love."


	28. Backstab

Sylvanas rubbed her chin as she regarded the map on the table in front of her. A frown on her forehead and a thoughtful expression on her face were visible as she overthought the current situation. A few weeks had passed since the high elves had become active and had started to drive the trolls back. They had invaded their bases, camps and fortresses near the eastern border of Quel'Thalas. They had killed most of the trolls which had been stationed there. They had lost about two dozen rangers within the past three weeks but they had slain over two hundred trolls in return.

They had even repelled the trolls who had tried to reconquer their former bases and territories. Zul'jin had wasted the lives of additional fifty trolls who had tried to get through the defence line in the south while the elves had expanded their territory in the south-east. These raiders managed to slay ten elves, seven humans and eight dwarves but all of Zul'jin's raiders had been killed in return.

Sylvanas hadn't expected that this war would be easy. She knew that this war will cost lots of lives, too many lives for her liking. But it was necessary, otherwise, the orcs and the trolls would continue terrorizing the populations of the humans, dwarves and high elves. The orcs had been very active over the past had attacked smaller villages in the remains of Stormwind and even in Lordaeron. Stormwind City had been spared because it was still a ruin. The orcs had burned it down years ago. It was impossible to rebuild it while the orcs remained in its near and attacking everyone who wasn't one of them.

Sylvanas wished she could help the humans but she had to defeat the trolls first. She had to capture Zul'jin to defeat the trolls, then the high elves could help the Alliance with the orcs.

Sylvanas still wasn't sure how to proceed. Together with the dwarven and human reinforcements, the high elves had conquered half of the territory of the Amani trolls. Only a small portion of Zul'jin's army had been stationed there and tried to defend their bases. Sylvanas' scouts had reported to her that thousands of troll warriors were still out there, almost one thousand warriors were in Zul'Aman and in the area around it.

Sylvanas knew they would siege it one day and the siege will be bloody. She assumed it will endure for days, weeks or even months and lots of people will die. Lots of trolls, dwarves, humans and even high elves. But there was no going back. The trolls and the orcs had started everything and the Alliance of Lordaeron will end it once and for all.

Sylvanas turned her head as she noticed that a person had just entered the tent. It was her older sister who was carrying something in her hand. It was a letter. Sylvanas raised a brow, giving her sister a curious look. "Hello, _Lady Sun_. How are you doing?"

Alleria chuckled as she heard the nickname which she hadn't heard for a while. Vereesa had given Alleria and Sylvanas nicknames which she always used, even these days. Alleria didn't mind that Sylvanas used the nickname too because she also called Sylvanas by her nickname from time to time. She did that to tease her. "I'm fine. What about you, _Lady Moon?_ "

"Well, I'm fine, I guess. I'm still busy figuring out a strategy. There are so many big fortresses between us and Zul'Aman, it will take us a while to conquer all of them."

Alleria stepped to her little sister, wrapping her arm around her shoulders. "Our people have defeated the trolls thousands of years ago. Their territory had been much larger back then and they had hundreds of thousands of warriors at that time. The current _troll empire_ is nothing more than a shadow of its former self. They might have the support of the orcs these days but they are still not as strong as they have once been. I'm pretty sure we will defeat them."

"I hope so. I'm not sure about the war's outcome. I only know that numerous people from both sides are going to die," responded Sylvanas, her gaze rested on the map.

"Don't be sad, my dear," spoke Alleria as she wrapped her arms around Sylvanas' torso and rubbed her back.

"I'm not sad, I'm just... overtaxed and tired of fighting against these trolls. We are fighting them for two dozen years and haven't won yet. It's just... exhausting."

Alleria caressed Sylvanas' chin, giving her a comforting smile. "Everything will be alright. I promise."

Sylvanas ran her fingertips over her eyelids, taking a deep breath. She opened her eyes, looking at her older sister. "I have to be careful or I might get a mental breakdown."

Alleria assumed that this was meant as a joke but she was not one hundred percent sure about that. She knew her sister was under a lot of pressure. She was the Ranger-General of Silvermoon, the highest position a Farstrider could ever reach. She had lots of power but also a lot of responsibility. It was her task to coordinate the defence and offence at the same time. It was her task to lead their people to victory. If she would miscalculate or plan something wrong it could mean the death of lots of people or worse.

One wrong move could lead to a catastrophe. She had to make sure that nothing goes wrong so she had to overthink her plans over and over again until she was one hundred percent sure that everything would work out. A single mistake could have fatal repercussions.

Alleria didn't want to know how long Sylvanas had regarded the map that dayand tried to figure out the perfect battle plan. She took a closer look at her sister, knowing immediately that she was pretty tired. She could only assume that Sylvanas had gotten up very early and had thought about a plan until this moment. Until the late evening. Sylvanas wouldn't be able to come to a result that day so Alleria thought it was the best to distract her and allow her to get some rest.

"You have been thinking about it all day, haven't you?"

Sylvanas didn't respond verbally, she just nodded her head, staring at the map and the figures on top of it.

"Don't you think you should get some rest? Eat something, relax and get some sleep. I'm not the only one who has noticed that you have become a lot thinner during the past weeks," spoke Alleria in Sylvanas' ear. She wrapped her arms around her from behind, putting her hands on her hips. "Yep, you are definitely thinner."

A loud sigh escaped Sylvanas' lips. "I know, I know. Verena already told me that."

"First your lover and now your sister. You should really change something when two close persons tell you that you have lost too much weight."

Sylvanas raised a brow. "Lover? Verena is not my lover."

Alleria made a surprised face. "She is not?"

Sylvanas nodded her head.

"Who is it then?"

Sylvanas frowned. "What do you mean?"

Alleria frowned as well, rubbing her forehead. "I'm not dumb, Sylvanas. I know you are dating someone and I also know that you keep it secret. Don't pretend there is no one. I have seen you weeks ago with someone. It was too dark so I couldn't recognize who it was but I know that there is someone."

The Ranger-General exhaled loudly. "Fine, you got me. I will tell you but only if you promise to not tell anyone."

"My lips are sealed. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'm not forcing you."

Sylvanas chewed on her bottom lip as she considered if she should tell her sister or not. "I will tell you about him but not now and not here. Who knows who is listening to us. I want to be on the safe side."

Alleria gave her an understanding nod. "Alright, we will do it elsewhere. Maybe in your room," she suggested.

"Sounds fine but first tell me what you are holding in your hand," Sylvanas demanded.

"It's a letter from our brother."

Sylvanas gave her a surprised look. "A letter from Lirath? He has never written a letter to us when we were on a mission... It wonders me why he is doing it now."

"I have already read the letter. Let's say he wrote to me because he wants to hear my opinion about something."

"Should we discuss that in my room too?"

Alleria gave her a nod. "We better do."

"Alright, let's go.I will continue racking my brain over the strategy tomorrow then."

"I will help you. Don't worry, we will figure out a good plan," spoke Alleria, caressing her sister's back before she stepped away from her and walked to the tent's exit. Sylvanas followed her, her eyes widened as she realized that it was already dark. She had been so busy that she hadn't noticed how fast the time had passed. She saw rangers and guards walking through the lines of tents, making sure everything was alright.

Sylvanas lifted her head and turned it to regard the wooden towers which stood in every corner. On top of each tower stood six rangers. The form of the base was a square which meant that there were four towers in total.

The sisters walked through the base to the hut, which was only used for special guests like the high king or the prince if they visited the camps and wanted to stay over the night. No king or prince was present so Sylvanas was sleeping there while the rangers, lieutenants and even captains were sleeping in tents. Sylvanas unlocked the door, allowing her sister to get inside before she entered the hut and locked the door behind her.

Alleria glimpsed at the hut's inside. "It looks better than I've expected."

"I just sleep here. I spend the rest of the day in the tent where I plan everything with my advisors. I don't really care if the furniture looks good or if it's nicely decorated. I'm happy as long as I have a warm bed where I can relax after a long and stressful day."

Alleria walked over to the bed, tilting her head as she noticed that someone was lying in it. "It seems you have to look for another bed because yours is already taken."

Sylvanas' voice reflected pure surprise, so did her face. "What?" She walked over to the bed, noticing that someone was lying beneath her blanket.

"It seems you forgot to let your lover out when you got up very early in the morning," joked Alleria, an amused smile appeared on her lips. Sylvanas ignored her comment as she pulled the blanket away. Her eyes widened when she revealed the sleeping Verena, who wore nothing but her underwear.

"What is she doing here?" asked Sylvanas loudly.

Alleria's lips formed an amused smile. "I should ask you that."

Sylvanas turned her head, looking at her sister who had a taunting expression on her face. "She is not my lover."

Alleria grinned. "So, why is she in your bed then?"

Sylvanas caressed her forehead. "I've no clue how she got in there. There is only one spare key but I didn't give it to her. I gave it to Kelrian."

"Kelrian? Kelrian Sunsinger?"

Sylvanas didn't reply to her.

Soft laughter escaped Alleria's lips as she realized who her sister's lover was.

"My sister, the best ranger on Azeroth, and the guy no one thought would become a ranger. Sometimes fate is really funny and creative."

"Kelrian is no longer the guy nobody wants to work with. He has proven himself worthy. I didn't choose him to join my team because I'm attracted to him. I chose him because he is very good," replied Sylvanas, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Alleria raised her hands as a kind of apology even though she had done nothing wrong. "I know that he is a good ranger."

"One of the best of the current generation," corrected Sylvanas.

Alleria smiled. "Alright, he is one of the best"

Sylvanas gave her a thankful nod.

"I'm happy for you. You know that, right?" asked the blonde elf with the tattoo on her face.

"I do"

"Nevertheless, I'm asking myself why your best friend is sleeping in your bed and wears nothing but her underwear."

"Believe me, I'm asking myself the same question," Sylvanas responded as she sat down on the bed, leaning forward so she could reach her best friend. She put her hand on her right shoulder, shaking her carefully at first. Verena muttered something but she didn't wake up, instead, she shifted around so that her back was turned to the two irritated rangers.

Sylvanas shook her again, harder this time. Still, Verena didn't wake up. Not even as Sylvanas threw her out of her bed. Sylvanas turned her head, looking at her sister who gave her an understanding nod. She walked to the bathroom and returned with a bucket full of cold water.

She stepped next to the bed, giving Sylvanas one last questioning look. Sylvanas nodded her head, telling her to go ahead. The bucket was emptied over Verena who startled from her sleep, shrieking loudly. She shook her head quickly, trying to recognize her surroundings to find out what was going on. She needed a few minutes to calm down and relax.

She was wondering why she was dripping wet but she found the answer when she looked at Alleria who was still holding the bucket. She turned her head, looking at the younger Windrunner sister who gave her an amused smile.

"Look who's finally awake," commented Sylvanas.

"And sleeping in the wrong bed," added Alleria.

Verena wanted to say something but her throat was too dry so not a single word escaped her lips.

"What are you doing here?" asked Sylvanas after she had waited patiently for a few moments.

"I..." she started but didn't speak any further.

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? I'm listening."

"I thought you would work the entire night so I allowed myself to sleep in your warm comfortable bed instead of the uncomfortable sleeping bags. I mean your bed is large enough for at least two persons," told Verena.

"You could have asked me and I would have probably allowed it. But now..."

"I'm sorry, Sylvie" responded her best friend. She got up, intending to apologize to her by hugging her but Sylvanas stretched her arms out to keep her at distance. Verena was hurt for a short moment because she thought Sylvanas was really mad at her but then she realized that Sylvanas didn't want to hug her because her entire body and her clothes were dripping wet.

"Apology accepted," spoke Sylvanas eventually. Verena's insecure facial expression changed to a happy and confident expression.

"I will change my clothes and return to my tent."

"You don't need to return to your tent. You can spend the night with me once you are here. Your undergarments are wet so is your hair. I can't let you out right now because you might catch a cold. And I don't want that one of my best rangers gets sick." spoke Sylvanas, smiling at her.

Verena returned the smile, expressing her thankfulness by lowering her head. Sylvanas pointed at the wardrobe, telling her that she should take out a pair of undergarments and a pyjama. Verena did as she was told, disappearing in the bathroom to change. She returned later, the blue pyjama fitted her perfectly and hugged all of her curves. She repressed to say how good Sylvanas' underwear felt on her body.

She walked over to the two other females, giving Sylvanas a curious look as she saw the letter in her hand. "What's that?"

"A letter from Lirath," responded Sylvanas. She ignored Alleria's irritated look as she handed it over to Verena who read it carefully. She turned her head, returning her sister's staring. "I would have told her anyway. She is my best friend. We don't keep secrets from each other. I mean I wouldn't have told her if it would have been a strictly confidential secret. But Lirath asks for our honest opinion because he is afraid what our parents might say. He is afraid that he can't convince them to get known to his girlfriend. And who knows it better how to convince your parents to accept your partner than Verena who had troubles to make her parents accept her partner."

Alleria frowned. "Well, homosexuality is not uncommon in our society, choosing a human as a partner is something completely different. I know what I'm talking about. It took me months to convince our parents to get known to Turalyon and I'm pretty sure they still hope that I'm just in a rebellious phase and that I would choose an elf instead of him one day."

"But they accepted you, so I don't see a reason why they shouldn't accept Lirath's human girlfriend. I don't think my help is needed," replied Verena.

"Lirath is the only son of our parents so I think they will see things differently. Alleria may be the oldest daughter but there are still two other daughters who could come together with a high elf. Maybe they see things differently when it comes to Lirath," Sylvanas said to Verena, making a thoughtful face.

Alleria tilted her head a little. "I don't think they will react differently. I think they will be tolerant and assure Lirath that they will accept whoever he will choose," she made a small pause, taking the letter back from Verena. She skimmed through it and handed it to Sylvanas. "I don't think he needs to be afraid. If he loves her then he should tell our parents about her. I'm pretty sure they will accept her."

"Two out of four Windrunners chose humans over their own kind," commented Verena. "That's interesting."

"I don't really care if my partner is a human or an elf. I have to admit that human males also look good. The girls are pretty too. But I prefer high elves as you know," spoke Sylvanas.

"Yep, Kelrian is a very lucky guy. I wish I would be in his place and be together with the most beautiful woman on Azeroth," flattered Verena.

Sylvanas' lips formed a provocative grin. "You had your chance to convert me to a full lesbian. But you didn't succeed, so I remain straight or bi at least. Anyways, back to the main topic. We should write Lirath he should tell our parents about his girlfriend if he is sure she is the right one."

"I agree with you," spoke Alleria.

"So do I," added Verena.

"Perfect. We all share the same opinion," said Alleria.

"I wanted to ask you a question earlier but I forgot to do it. The same question just came back in my mind so I want to hear an answer from you **,** " said Sylvanas.

"Go ahead, Sylvie. Ask me anything you want"

"How did you managed to get in here?"

"Kelrian gave me the spare key."

Sylvanas' eyes widened in surprise. "He did what?"

"You have heard me correctly. He gave me the key."

"Why did he do that?"

"Because I asked for it."

"And he handed you the key without asking why you need it and how you know about it?"

"He knows I'm your best friend and he knows that you tell me almost everything so he didn't need to ask how I knew about it. I told him that I forgot something in your room and that I didn't want to distract you from planning so I needed him to lend me the key," explained Verena.

Sylvanas sighed. "It was not his fault, he got tricked by you. He knows I trust you so I assume he trusts you blindly. Nevertheless, I will tell him to not give you the spare key next time, as long as it is not urgent."

"Do that but don't be so strict with him. It was not his fault," responded Verena.

"Don't worry about that. I won't scold him."

A naughty smirk appeared on Verena's lips. "I assume you will scold and punish him later in a different way."

Sylvanas rolled her eyes, shaking her head and giving her a feigned uncomprehending look. Alleria cleared her throat. "It would be nice if you would only talk about such things when I'm not around."

"Ah c'mon, Alleria don't be such a spoilsport. You can't tell me you don't talk about men and sex with your friends."

Alleria shook her head slightly. "I do but I don't talk about such topics when my sister is around."

Sylvanas patted her sister's shoulder. "Excuse my best friend, she is a pervert who has only one thing in her mind."

Verena's lips formed a mischievous grin. "And that's your thick and firm ass" she spoke as she gave Sylvanas a rough spank, making the woman yell in surprise and jump up a little.

Sylvanas rubbed her forehead, regarding her best friend with narrowed eyes. "That was too much."

Verena's lips said sorry but her eyes said the opposite. Verena was not really sorry, on the opposite, she had enjoyed it and she would love to do it again. For Verena, touching Sylvanas' ass was one of the best feelings in the world. She was jealous of Kelrian because he could touch her whenever they were alone. She couldn't do that without being scolded or getting hit in return. Kelrian didn't need to be afraid that Sylvanas would hit him.

There had been a time where Verena could have done the same without getting scolded or punished but these times were over. She missed those times. The times where she and Sylvanas had been a thing. Their relationship had lasted for ten years before Sylvanas had ended the relationship out of nowhere. She had explained to Verena that she couldn't do that anymore. That she couldn't lie to her and to herself anymore. That she had realized she preferred men.

Verena had been heartbroken at first and had needed a lot of time to accept everything. Sylvanas thought her best friend was over her but the truth was that she wasn't. Verena still loved Sylvanas and she had told her that over and over again but Sylvanas had found someone else. She had found true love. Verena was happy for Sylvanas but at the same time, she was sad that she couldn't have her.

Verena knew she couldn't have her so she touched her without her noticing whenever she could. Sometimes, she gave her a massage, sometimes she helped her getting dressed for important meetings or events. Sometimes, she went with her to the beach and put sun cream on her soft and sensitive skin. There were lots of situation where she could be near Sylvanas. Also, she hugged her whenever they greeted each other or said goodbye. She was still able to be physically close to Sylvanas. But not as close as she wanted.

Spanking Sylvanas' butt had been too much. She had crossed a border and she knew that. She was glad that Sylvanas didn't make a drama out of it. The Ranger-General just ignored it, turning to her sister to talk with her. Verena listened to them, regarding Sylvanas most of the time. Her gaze shifted to Alleria from time to time but it only rested on her beautiful face or her well-formed curves.

She was so lost in thoughts that she didn't realize that Sylvanas was speaking to her. Only the small pillow which hit her head managed to bring her out of her thoughts. Verena scratched her head, checking her surroundings.

"You are back in the presence, sweetheart. You are not in your dream world anymore," said Sylvanas, tapping her shoulder playfully.

"I don't want to know what she was thinking about," commented Alleria, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"She has stared at you for quite some time so she has probably thought about you in your underwear," joked Sylvanas, patting her older sister's back. Alleria's cheeks turned slightly red but her blush was not as clearly visible as the blush on Verena's face.

"I think I should go now before Verena imagines me wearing nothing at all," spoke Alleria, chuckling when she noticed that Verena's cheeks became redder. She shook her head amused, looking at Verena and then at her sister. "I can't believe that you dress up while she is watching you. Doesn't it bother you that you turn her on when you change in front of her?"

"Not really," replied Sylvanas honestly. "Verena knows her limit. She knows what she is not allowed to do and she knows what will happen if she crosses a line."

Alleria turned her head, looking at Verena. She gave her a curious look, raising an eyebrow. "What does my sister do when you cross a line?"

"The last time I crossed a line, she didn't talk to me for a week. She also threatened me that she would pinch my nipples and twist them if I dare to take advantage of her again" Verena spoke quietly, avoiding eye contact by looking at the floor.

Alleria frowned "You took advantage of her?"

A sad sigh escaped Verena's lips. Her voice reflected guilt as she started to explain. "I did and I'm not proud of it. It happened when she broke up with her last boyfriend, more than seventy years ago. She was fragile and an emotional mess and... Well, I tried to comfort her but then everything got out of hand and I started to kiss her... Well, you can imagine the rest. Sylvanas prevented that I would only make it worse..."

"My sister forgave you, so everything is alright, I guess. But as her older sister, I have to tell you one thing. You better never take advantage of her again or I will find you and punish you. But not in the pleasant way you hope Sylvanas would do to you." Alleria stood right in front of Verena, staring into the eyes of the slightly smaller woman.

Verena swallowed, nodding her head quickly. She did her best to not show Alleria that she was intimidated by her but she failed horribly. Alleria smirked as she noticed that the perverted elf respected her more than anyone else. She knew that Verena would never mess with her because she was too afraid of what she might do to her.

None of the three women said anything. Alleria kept staring into Verena's eyes, the smaller elf returned her stare. Sylvanas regarded them with a curious look on her face. Alleria cleared her throat after a while, telling Sylvanas and her best friend that she needed to go now if she wanted to catch enough sleep.

Sylvanas stepped to her, hugged her and kissed her forehead softly. Alleria kissed her left cheek, caressing her back softly. She pulled away eventually, pointing two fingers at her eyes and then at Verena's, signalizing her she would keep an eye on her. Verena nodded silently, her eyes rested on Alleria as she walked to the door and left the hut. She still regarded the entrance even though Alleria had walked through it five minutes ago.

Sylvanas cleared her throat, bringing Verena out of her thoughts. The other woman blushed as she turned around and walked to the bed on which Sylvanas was sitting. She wore a light blue pyjama and her hair was loose. She slipped under the blanket, lying down next to her best friend. The corners of her lips formed a small smile as she noticed that Sylvanas wasn't mad at her.

On the opposite, she gave Verena a small smile, comforting her. She even leaned over to kiss her left cheek, looking at her for a few moments before she put her head on the pillow, closed her eyes and started to relax. Verena didn't close her eyes yet. She regarded Sylvanas until she fell asleep, which happened faster than expected. She caressed her cheek for a few times before she closed her eyes and relaxed, falling asleep eventually.

* * *

He opened his eyes as soon as he noticed that he was awake. He looked around, trying to find out where he was. There was nothing but darkness around him. He remained calm, trying to figure out what was going on. He noticed that his hands were shackled but his feet weren't. Whoever had captured him didn't expect him to run away. He couldn't run anyway because he was sitting in a small closed room. A room which was moving and shaking.

He looked up, spotting the wide slit near the ceiling. He stood up, looking through it. He didn't recognize much but he spotted the outlines of a tree which became smaller with each passing second. He assumed he was in some sort of a wagon which transported him somewhere at night. He was wondering how he had landed there but then he started to remember what had happened. Sylvanas Windrunner and the local guards had arrested him and thrown him into that wagon.

_"Are you Xenarion Sunsinger?"_

_"Yes, I am. Why are you asking?"_

_"You are under arrest because you have hired a group of mercenaries to injure your own son. Your guilt has been proved by the testimonies of the victim, the culprits and three witnesses. We will take you to Silvermoon City and locked you in one of the dungeons cells."_

Xenarion had resisted at first but the guards had overwhelmed him and put him into the wagon which would take him to Silvermoon City. They will lock him in one of the dirty cells there. He had no clue for how long they will keep him there but he knew for sure they wouldn't let him out for quite some time. He would have to serve his entire sentence to get free.

Anger rose up in him as he realized he wouldn't be able to see his family for a long time. Only because of his stupid son. If he wouldn't be there, he wouldn't be transported to a prison. He was wishing that Kelrian would have never been born. He was a failure. He was not able to use the light even though his family, which members were known as the best priests and paladins in Quel'Thalas, had trained him. Xenarion felt deep hatred for his middle son. His pulse was racing and anger built up in him whenever he thought about Kelrian.

Xenarion didn't regret ordering mercenaries to teach Kelrian a lesson. He only regretted hiring the wrong mercenaries. He had trusted his friend but he had failed him. He should have listened to his instincts and should have hired the more expensive mercenaries instead of the guild of his friend. But it was too late to change things. He couldn't change the past and he had no influence on the future. His hands were tied. Literally.

He sat down on the small bench, closing his eyes to get some rest. He was about to fall asleep as he heard loud shouts coming from outside. He heard shouts from high elves but also shouts in a foreign language. He could only assume that the strange shouts came from trolls or orcs. His heartbeat became very fast, his skin tingled nervously and cold shivers ran down his spine as he listened to the sounds of battle.

People shouted commands, cried out in anger or in pain. Steel clashed against steel, limbs were cut off, voices became silent. People died around him and there was nothing Xenarion could do to help his people. He tried to free himself but the handcuffs were too tight around his wrists so he couldn't slip out of them.

Panic started to overwhelm him, the fear of death started to consume him, causing that his whole body began to tremble. His heartbeat became a lot faster as the last elven voice became silent. The door of the metal cage, in which he was locked in, was taken out of its hinges. Muscular green creatures looked at him, their ugly green lips formed mischievous smiles.

One of these creatures, which was larger than the wagon, stretched his arm out and destroyed the chain, which connected Xenarion's handcuffs and with the bottom of the cage, with his bare hand. He grabbed him by his legs and flung him out of the cage.

Xenarion groaned as landed on the muddy ground. He needed a few moments to regain control over his body, getting up eventually. He ignored the massive amount of pain he was feeling as he checked his surroundings. He spotted three dead trolls and five dead Silvermoon guards around the wagon. The neck of three of these elves had been broken as if a large creature had grabbed them and snapped their necks with its bare hands.

Xenarion's eyes widened, the amount of fear he was feeling was massively increased as he took a closer look at the creature which was responsible for the deaths of these three guards. It was a large dire troll which was three times larger than his companions which were ordinary forest trolls. They were eight in total. All of them were armed to their teeth. Their yellow eyes rested on him, their ugly lips formed triumphant grins.

One of them, a troll with short blue hair stepped forward, walking towards the scared priest while his companions remained in front of the wagon. Xenarion fixed his eyes on the troll whose armour looked firmer and better produced than the armours of the other trolls. He was wearing something around his neck which looked like a necklace made out of human and elven ears. The priest was pretty sure that this guy was the leader of this group.

He could only assume that they came from Tor'Watha which was the only remaining fortress of the forest trolls in the east of Quel'Thalas. Their presence could only mean that they had either managed to broke through the defensive line or they had managed to sneak past it without getting seen. Both options were bad for the elves. There was a deadly group of trolls behind the outmost defensive line and nobody knew about it. Nobody except for Xenarion.

He must escape somehow and warn the others. That was his duty as a member of the high elven society. But he didn't care about his duty, he just wanted to survive no matter what it would cost.

"Look who we have here. A tremblin' elf," the troll spoke. It really surprised Xenarion that the troll was able to speak thalassian. His accent may be very strong but he was able to express himself without making too many mistakes. Xenarion had not the time to wonder why the troll knew the language of the high elves. He was wondering why he hadn't already killed him and approached him instead. He was wondering why the troll didn't capture him and was talking to him instead.

"An elf imprisoned by his own kind, how odd. If I wouldn't know it any better, I would say ya are a traitor or a criminal. Otherwise, ya wouldn't have been in dere," he said, pointing at the wagon. "Ya must know, the enemy of my enemy can be ma friend."

Xenarion's fear disappeared suddenly and was replaced by confusion. He tilted his head, giving the troll a confused look.

"You've lost me there. What do you want to imply?" he asked.

The troll laughed, looking at his comrades who laughed as well. "Stupid elf," he commented. "Ya will give me some information and I will spare ya life."

Xenarion's eyes narrowed. "How do I know I can trust you? Who guarantees me that you don't kill me after you received the information you want from me?"

The troll laughed again. "Ya can't, mon. But ya have no otha choice if ya want ta live. I tell you dis, unlike ya people, ma people fight with honour. We stand ta our words. Not ta mention, ya have no otha choice than trustin' me."

"I see" muttered Xenarion, making a thoughtful face as he considered his options.

"Let's say you are speaking the truth, what else do I get if I give you the information you want?"

The troll's lips formed a triumphant smile. He knew he got the fish on the hook, now he only needed to pull it out. "I will spare ya and ya family and regard dem as our guests of honour. I know ya don't know me but I promise ya dat I will stand by ma word. By da loa of my people."

"My people say that you can never trust a troll but what do my people know anyways? They always want my help and never give me something in return. I have no other choice anyway but I want you to do me a favour. My son kidnapped half of my family, I want you to bring them to me but in one piece and without harming them," said Xenarion.

"Dat should be no problem. But we do that lata. First, ya will tell us de information we want."

"So, what do you want to know? How many rangers and guards we have? Where our patrols are walking their rounds? How many people are stationed in the villages, camps, bases and fortresses?" Xenarion's lips formed a mischievous smile. "Or do you want to know how you can hurt the famous Ranger-General the most?"

The troll raised an eyebrow, giving the elf a curious look. "Ya know dat?"

"I know where her family lives. If you want to break the famous _Troll Slayer_ then you have to attack Windrunner Spire and Windrunner Village."

"Ya tell us a way to hurt da Ranger-General? Why? I just expected to get military information from ya. Why are you offerin' us dis instead?"

An evil smirk appeared on Xenarion's face. "Let's say the Ranger-General and I have a score to settle. Not to mention that my son seems to be very important to her and I think she is important to him too."

"So, ya do dis to hurt ya own son? Ya own flesh and blood? Wat a sick bastard are ya?

Soft laughter escaped Xenarion's lips. "Trust me, my son deserves it and this whore of a Ranger-General Windrunner deserves it too. She is responsible that I would have gotten locked in a dirty cell for quite some time."

"Wateva you say, mon. Tell me where the Troll Slayer's home is" the troll said.

"Give a second," Xenarion said, looking up at the troll who gave him a nod.

Xenarion walked over to one of the dead guards, ignoring the amount of blood which was spread all over the ground. He looked through the guard's bag, smiling as he found a map. He walked over to the leader and unfolded the map, handing it over to him. "There is Windrunner Spire, where the Ranger-General's family lives," he said, pointing at a spot in the south-west of the map. "And above it is Windrunner Village. The rest of her family, which includes her uncles, aunts and cousins, lives there."

"I see. So, our pact is sealed, right'?" the troll asked, stretching his hand out. "Ya give us all the information ya know and I will promise ya that ma people and da orcs will spare ya and ya family."

Xenarion shook his hand, smiling mischievously. "May I know who you are?"

"I am Leth'al, da brother of da right hand of Zul'jin."

"I'm Xenarion Sunsinger, it's nice to meet you."

"Da pleasure is ma, mon" responded Leth'al, a satisfied grin appeared on his green lips.


	29. Lirath

"What a wonderful place" he spoke as he regarded his surroundings happily. He was standing in the middle of a small clearing so not a single tree could prevent the sunlight from shining down on him. He took a deep breath, extending his arms as he enjoyed the warm embrace of the sun. The sun was smiling at him but not only at him. There was another person who received the pleasant embrace of the sun. She stepped next to the young elf who was still standing in the middle of the clearing and enjoyed the sight of the beautiful nature around them.

His long ears allowed him to hear the twittering of the birds clearly, even from a distance. The birds were not the only animals which were around them. He could hear all of them, even the small ants which were pickingsmall pieces out of blackberries which were lying on the ground near their anthill. He could hear insects, mice and other smaller creatures as they rustled through the foliage. He could hear deers and even boars in the far. That was only possible because he had the absolute pitch and a very close connection to nature, like every other high elf. His companion didn't have such a connection so she couldn't hear or feel what he was feeling and hearing.

The woman smiled as the young man started to spin around until he couldn't take it anymore and needed a break. She shook her head, giving him an amused smile. She chuckled about his innocence and childishness. He may be thirty-seven years old, which meant he was seventeen years older than her, but he still behaved like a child. Sometimes at least. He was still a child, according to the laws of his people.

The woman couldn't understand why high elven men and women only reached adulthood at the age of one hundred. High elves at the age of twenty looked similar to humans at the same age. They still looked young but not too young. Most of them were fully grown and behaved like mature young individuals. The only difference between high elves and humans was that high elves lived a lot longer than humans. They could become older than three thousand years which was the only reason why they only reached adulthood on their hundredth birthday.

There were no other reasons why high elves were considered as children, adolescents or teenagers for so long. They didn't behave differently than adult humans so it would only make sense to change the laws and stipulate that they would reach adulthood on their twentieth birthday. But only the elven king could change the laws. There was nothing the woman could do.

It only annoyed her that other humans asked her how she could be together with a child or a teenager. Lirath was anything but a child or a teenager. He looked like a mature young man and he behaved like one, most of the times at least. At this very moment, he was not behaving like a thirty-seven years old man. More like a sixteen years old human teenager. But she loved it whenever he behaved like this. She loved his silly and his playful side. The funny thing was that she had been a teenager when they had met four years ago. It was love at first sight.

She didn't like men who were totally serious all the time, even in their free time, and didn't understand fun. Life was hard and too short, at least for humans like her. Lirath's life will probably last much longer than hers because of his high elf genes. Her lifetime was limited, Lirath's too but he could live up to thirty times longer than her.

She loved to fool around with him when nobody watching. She could talk to him about everything, there was no topic he didn't want to talk about. He was the opposite of a spoilsport. He was a very funny and sometimes silly guy. But he could also be serious when the situation required it. He was very smart and he knew when he could behave like himself and when he had to behave differently to not make a fool of himself.

In her eyes, Lirath was not a child, not even a teenager. He was an adult and she was not the only person who shared her opinion. Lirath had told her that all the other high elves couldn't understand why the High King hadn't changed the laws yet. His people still had to wait until they were a hundred years old to be regarded as adults. There were many arguments for a law change and no real arguments against it.

The high elves could attend the examinations for rangers, warriors, rogues, mages, paladins and other professions when if they were fifty years old. They could go to war when they would have completed their apprenticeship, which only lasted three to five years. This meant that High King Anasterian Sunstrider was sending teenagers to war. Teenagers by law. There was no reason to not consider them as adults. Also, people wouldn't need to ask their parents if they could become an apprentice in a profession. Parents still had to sign important contracts for their ninety-nine years old children. She found that absurd so did every high elf.

But she could understand that the High King was busy with other things these days. He was at war with the orcs and trolls,he didn't have the time to think about changing the laws which were about adulthood.

The woman only knew that the elven king would think about it at the earliest when the war against the orcs and trolls would be over. Well, to be honest, she had only heard rumours about that. She didn't know if he would ever consider changing anything.

Soft laughter escaped her lips as Lirath let himself fall dramatically to the ground. He was a big fan of theatres, role plays and acting in general. Sometimes she thought it was better for him if he would become an actor instead of a ranger. She knew it was his dream to become a famous ranger like his older sisters and his mother. He trained very hard every day because he wanted to pass the examination in thirteen years. He would be a lot better if he would spend more time on improving his archery skills than rehearsing and performing stage plays with other actors.

He could already be a very successful actor but he wanted to become a ranger so badly. That was the reason why he had denied all offerings he had gotten from all the theatres and playhouses in the territories of the Alliance of Lordaeron. She thought it was wasted talent because he was very good at playing different roles. But it was his decision, in the end. If he wanted to become a ranger then he should be allowed to become one. It was enough for him to take part in stage plays in his free time. He was happy with that and she was happy as long as he was.

She gave him a smile, spreading out the picnic blanket she had carried all the time. She put the basket down, which she had held in her other hand the entire time, and sat down next to her boyfriend who returned her smile. The blond elf wrapped his left arm around her waist while he pulled the basket closer. He opened it and took out all the items which were in there.

He frowned as he looked over all the items he had taken out and placed on the blanket. "Did we forget something, Camillia?" he asked, giving her a questioning look. She rubbed her forehead, counting the items. "I don't think so. We have bread, butter, sausages, cheese, glasses and milk. We also have moonberry juice, cutlery, cupcakes and fruits. I think we have everything, my dear."

"You forgot the most important thing," he said, smiling at her.

She returned his smile, giving him a curious look. "And what would that be?"

"Love of course," sang Lirath, leaning over to kiss her cheek. She giggled, pushing his head away playfully. She put her hands on his cheeks, turning his head so she could press her lips on his. He didn't hesitate to return the kiss, running his fingers through her soft coffee coloured hair. She did the same and messed up his hair a bit, which didn't bother him.

He was not like his sister Alleria who needed an entire hour to make herself look perfect. But he wasn't like Sylvanas either who only needed a few strokes with her comb to make her hair look perfect. She would also look perfect if she wouldn't comb her hair. He was pretty sure she would even look perfect with short hair.

Lirath pulled away eventually, his lips formed a smile. His smile was as perfect as Sylvanas' smile, he had the same eyes and his nose was also similar to hers. He was a very handsome young man and he had lots of love interests. Elves, humans and even dwarves but his heart already belonged to Camillia.

He had no desire to meet other women. He knew his parents would prefer a high elf woman but he also knew they would accept any woman from any race as long as it was not a troll or an orc. Alleria's lover was a famous human and their child was a combination of both races, a so-called half-breed **.** He was pretty sure his parents would accept Camillia and his siblings thought the same.

He had written a letter to Alleria weeks ago in which he had told her about Camillia. He had told her how he had met her, how she behaved and how she had managed to steal his heart. He had told Alleria that he loved her but was too afraid to make things official. He had told her that he was too afraid to tell their parents about her.

He had had his doubts when he had written the letter. But these doubts had vanished into thin air when he had received Alleria's response. She had comforted him, encouraged him to introduce Camillia to their parents. She had also told him that Sylvanas shared her opinion so did Verena who hadn't had it easy at first when Sylvanas had introduced her to their parents.

Lirath was pretty sure that everything would be alright and he would be able to be together with the love of his life without having to quarrel with his parents about their relationship.

Lirath kissed Camillia's lips for the last time before he pulled away and took the bottle which was filled with moonberry juice. He opened it and poured the liquid in the two glasses, handing one to the woman and taking a sip from the other. He put his free hand on her cheek and gently stroked over her chocolate brown skin.

She smiled, turning her head a little so she could kiss his hand. He couldn't avoid eye contact, feeling that he could get lost into those emerald green eyes forever. They stared into each other's eyes for a while and only managed to avert gazes when Lirath's stomach started to growl loudly.

Soft laughter escaped the human's full lips. "We should eat something, otherwise, you will starve to death."

"Oh, no please not that," spoke the elf, grinning at his lover. "Alright, let's eat something."

Camillia cut a few slices from the loaf of bread, handing three to Lirath who gave her a thankful smile. He didn't hesitate to spread butter on his bread and put slices of cold cuts and hard cheese on them. The topping of Camillia's slices was smoked sausage spread. She was not a big fan of cheese and she didn't like other kinds of meat or sausages. She always ate her bread with smoked sausage spread.

Lirath, on the other hand, loved all spreads and cold cuts. He chose whatever he wanted at the moment so sometimes he chose only one topping and sometimes he took a bit of everything. It depended on his mood. He mostly chose cheese when he was stressed and cold cuts when he was happy. He was happy at this very moment but also a bit worried about what his parents would say when he would introduce Camillia to them on this day, so he had chosen cheese and cold cuts.

The two lovebirds didn't say anything while they ate. They stared at each other, holding hands while their other hands held the slices of bread or other things they were eating. They ate fruits like bananas, apples and pears. They also ate grapes, green ones and blue ones. To be accurate, Lirath ate them. Camillia also took some but she only wanted to give them to her lover. His head rested on her lap while she was feeding him and toyed with his hair. His eyes didn't stop looking into hers nor did she avert her gaze.

They were silent for quite some time, enjoying the pleasant silence and the presence of the other. They didn't need to talk to have fun and enjoy themselves. They only needed to be near the other to be happy and make the other happy. They were glad that they had each other. She loved him and he loved her.

They had said that at least one thousand times to each other whenever they met. They heard these three words way too often but they didn't get tired of hearing them. They knew that other couples weren't saying these special words that often but they didn't mind that. They used these words as if they were essential words which were needed to form a grammatically correct sentence. Just like verbs.

They decided it was time to talk after they had enjoyed the pleasant silence for a while. They got up and started to talk about casual topics. Lirath had wrapped his legs around the brown-skinned woman who was more than a head smaller than him. She was only five feet and five inches tall while Lirath was six feet and three inches tall.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her tightly from behind. He rested his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes as he relaxed and inhaled the lovely scent of her perfume with each breath he made.

"I told my mother about you a week ago," Camillia said after they were done talking about acting and stage plays.

Lirath opened his eyes, taking one of her hands in one of his. "What did she say?" he asked curiously.

"She was surprised at first but she is okay with it. I assume it has surprised her the most that we came together when I was only sixteen. I don't think she minds that you are a high elf. I haven't told my sister and brother yet but I will tell them one day."

Lirath smiled. "I can't wait to introduce you to my parents. I'm not afraid anymore because I'm convinced that they will accept you."

"I may not know your parents yet but I assume they will accept me. According to what you have told me, they are pretty nice and tolerant people. Also, isn't your sister together with a human paladin?"

"She is. His name is Turalyon and they met during a mission. He is a pretty cool guy. Also, he is a strong and very talented swordsman. He doesn't look bad and he is charming. In my opinion, he fits perfectly to Alleria."

"What about Sylvanas and Vereesa?"

Lirath snuggled closer to her. "I don't really know about Vereesa. She doesn't tell me about her relationships. I saw her once kissing Magister Dar'Khan Drathir but that was years ago. I also saw her hanging out with the daughter of Magistrix Lana'thel, Thal'ena was her name if I remember correctly. But I think they are just friends because I don't believe Vereesa swings that way."

"You mean she doesn't swing in both ways like the Ranger-General?" Camillia asked, kissing the back of his hand.

Lirath raised a brow. "I don't even believe Sylvanas swings in both ways. I believe she is straight and her relationship with Verena was only a phase. But who knows what Sylvanas prefers. I don't really mind if she would prefer women over men. I can only understand her. Women are the best."

"Nobody knows they have been together, right?"

"Nobody except for my family."

"And me," added Camillia.

"And you, indeed," he laughed. "Well, Sylvanas is single at the moment and as far as I know, she has been single for quite some time. I don't talk with my sisters about their relationships and I don't want to, to be honest. They have enough close friends with who they can talk about their sex lives."

"Do you talk to your friends about your previous relationships or about us?"

"There are no previous relationships I can talk about. And no, I didn't tell them about our sex life"

"Because there is nothing to talk about, right?" joked Camillia, giving him a teasing grin. He ran his fingers through her soft hair, smiling at her.

"There is nothing I can complain about, nevertheless, I don't want to share the details of our intimate moments with anyone else. What about you?"

Camillia blushed. "I may have given some details to my best friend but only because I know she won't tell anyone. She's mute."

"That's why you are friends with her because she can't interrupt you when you talk," he teased, giving her a provocative grin. She hit his shoulder playfully. "You dick."

He grinned at her, running the tip of his index finger over her bottom lip. "It's the truth. You really talk a lot."

"I know," she admitted. "That's a bad habit."

"It's not a bad habit. I love to hear you talk, but sometimes you talk a bit too much, you know."

He returned her smile and leaned in to kiss her. She returned the kiss, inserting her tongue in his mouth. He did the same, putting his hand on the back of her head as he deepened the kiss. He ran his fingers through her hair while she did the same, caressing his back with her other hand.

They held the kiss until they needed to pull away to get some air. They stared at each other for a few moments before they leaned in once again to connect their lips. Lirath put his hands on her hips as he deepened the kiss. He closed his eyes to enjoy the kiss better, caressing her cheeks softly.

Suddenly, he heard a quiet noise from afar. He didn't recognize the noise nor its origin. He decided to ignore it and continued to kiss his lover. He heard the strange noise again after a few minutes but he ignored it again, letting his hands wander. He touched her cheeks, her chin, her beautiful lips, her shoulders, her medium-sized breasts, her slim waist and her wide hips. His hands wandered to her thick ass, over her thick thighs to her feet.

He enjoyed touching her soft body, enjoyed the warmth which was radiated by it. She enjoyed getting touched by him, not minding that his hands wandered to a place beneath her waist no other man was allowed to touch. The two lovers got rid of their clothing quickly, not minding if someone would watch them while they made love.

They were done after a while, getting dressed again. Lirath frowned as he heard the strange noise again, he had heard an hour ago, but this time it was clearer. Not only was he able to hear it louder, but he also was able to recognize it. It was a scream. The scream of a woman. A pained scream, to be exact.

"Something is wrong," muttered Lirath, looking around after he had gotten up. He saw nothing but his lover who regarded him with a frown on her forehead. "What do you mean?"

"I'm hearing the same noise over and over again. It has started an hour ago but the noise has been too quiet to recognize it. But now I'm hearing it clearly. Someone is screaming," he pointed at the west. "It's coming from there."

A worried expression appeared on Camillia's face. "Are you sure you didn't mishear?"

"I rarely mishear. My ears are not only for show, you know," responded Lirath. Worry was reflected by his voice.

Camillia remained silent, not knowing what to say in response.

"We should find out where the scream came from and what is going on there."

Camillia nodded in agreement.

"Too bad that I don't have my bow with me," said Lirath as he started to put the goods and other items in the basket. "Or my knives and swords."

"I hope you won't need them."

"I hope the same."

"I only have my favourite dagger with me," said the woman with the coffee coloured hair.

Lirath put his arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss on her temples. "First we find out what is going on, then we will decide what to do."

"Isn't your village in the direction you have pointed at?" she asked, becoming more worried.

He nodded silently. "Windrunner Spire is there as well," he said eventually. "We should go now. I fear the worst."

Camillia didn't say anything in response, she just nodded to him, signalizing him to go ahead. Lirath folded the blanket, threw it over his shoulder, then he picked up the basket and started to run. Camillia didn't hesitate to follow him, giving her best to keep up with him. It was not easy because her legs were shorter than his. She fell behind but only by a bit. Lirath didn't look back to check if she was still behind him so he wouldn't notice if she would stop running. But she was following him, keeping the distance between them as small as possible.

They ran and ran, getting out of the forest eventually. They came to green grassland, moving through it quickly. Then they came to a small hill. Lirath stood on the hill and stared straight ahead. Camillia stepped next to him, looking in the same direction to find out what he was looking at. She noticed the tensed expression on his face. His eyes widened as he realized what was going on.

Camillia had needed a few more moments to understand what was going on. From the top of the hill, she had a good view of a village in the east and a building in the west. Both places were very far away from them, so were the clouds of smokes which rose in the sky. That could only mean one thing. Windrunner Village and Windrunner Spire were burning.

Camillia turned her head, looking at Lirath whose face was a mask of shock. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. _This can't be possible..._

Windrunner Village and Windrunner Spire were the most well-protected places after Silvermoon City and the places where the three mooncrystals were hidden. It was impossible that the trolls had managed to defeat all the guards and rangers which were protecting then, not to mention that there was no way that they had managed to get through the defensive line in the south of Quel'Thalas.

It didn't make sense either that the trolls were attacking the south. They had always tried to break through the defensive line in the south-east in which near the Amani tribe lived. The forest trolls had always attacked the east of Quel'Thalas but never succeeded. He didn't believe that the trolls abandoned their fortresses and bases in the east and south-east. He knew that his sisters were keeping them busy by attacking them every day and every night. They conquered base after base so there was no way the trolls were attacking them if they didn't want to give up their territories.

That could only mean that the orcs had stopped fighting against the humans and dwarves and had moved northwards to the south of Quel'Thalas. That was the only explanation which made sense.

_But why have the orcs changed their strategy and attack Windrunner Spire and Village now?_

_What prompted them to change their plans and assist the trolls?_

_Do they know that the humans could follow them at any time and surround them with the help of my people?_

_Why are they attacking Windrunner Village and our house?_

_There are so many military bases in Quel'Thalas which they could have attacked instead. Why did the choose a well-protected place where only civilians live?_

_They won't get any strategic advantage if they would raid these two places, right?_

There so many questions in Lirath's head. Many questions to which he had no answers. He was too shocked to move. He could only stare at the two places and the clouds of black smoke above them. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest, his body felt pretty cold and he had a lump in his throat. He had troubles to breathe in enough air, his entire body was trembling. He had a panic attack.

Camillia put her hands on his cheeks as she stepped in front of him. She lowered his head, forcing him to look at her. He didn't avert eye contact nor did he say something. He just stared into her green orbs, noticing that he got calmer the longer he looked at her. His panic attack disappeared, the lump in his throat vanished as well. His heart was still beating rapidly in his chest but his body didn't feel cold anymore and he had gotten his breathing under control.

"We have to do something," spoke Camillia as she noticed she had his attention.

"My bow and my other weapons are in my room. Nevertheless, I have to go to Windrunner Spire."

"I will go with you," Camillia said insistently.

His reply came like a bullet out of a gun. "No!"

"No?" asked his lover. One of her brows was raised, irritation and confusion were reflected by her facial expression and her voice.

"You have to warn the nearest villages and ask for assistance. The Sanctum of the Moon is the nearest place where you can get help," he replied, pointing at a spot on the horizon **.** Camillia's eyes narrowed, focusing on the spot. She needed a few moments to recognize the small outlines of a building. She turned her head, the expression she made showed insecurity and worry.

"Are you sure that splitting up is the right decision?"

"I have to go home to protect my family and my people."

"It's too dangerous to go to your home or Windrunner Village without a weapon."

"You could lend me your dagger."

"That's not enough to kill a single troll or an orc, not to mention a large number of them" spoke Camillia. Her face was a mask of worry, her voice sounded insecure and weak. She was afraid. Afraid of losing him. She didn't want him to go there alone but there was nothing she could do to help him. She was not a warrior or a fighter. She didn't know how to handle weapons. She didn't have much experience in combat. She was an actress and not a warrior.

"I have to get my bow. I can't just run away. I have to protect my family. My sisters are in the south-east of Quel'Thalas, they can't defend our family. My mother hasn't fought for decades and my father is not a fighter. My uncles, aunts and cousins aren't the best fighters either. I need to help them. I hope you can understand that."

Camillia was silent for a few moments but then she nodded. "I do but I'm still afraid."

"We don't have the time to think twice about what to do now. Every second matters, literally. I want you to run to the Sanctum of the Moon and warn the priests there. Would you do that for me?" he stared into her eyes, his lips were pressed together to a thin line. She couldn't deny him anything, not when he was looking at her like that. It was impossible for her to say no to these eyes or to this handsome face. She was not able to say no to him in general. He needed her. She had an important task to do while he had to defend his home, his family and his people.

"Alright, I will do it but take this," she said and gave him a dagger in whose handle her name was engraved **.**

"Thanks, my love," he said, pulling her in for one last kiss. The kiss was quick but still passionate. She wished she could deepen the kiss and forget everything that was going on around them but she knew she couldn't do that. The lives of numerous inhabitants of Quel'Thalas were at stake. The couple needed to hurry. Lirath caressed her cheeks one last time, kissing her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too," she responded as she regarded him with widened eyes.

"I will see you later, my love," he whispered before he dropped the basket and the blanket and rushed down the hill. Camillia didn't hesitate to run in the direction Lirath had pointed at, running as fast as her legs allowed.


	30. Heroic intervention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will be emotional. It was not easy for me to write this chapter but it's necessary for the course of the story, so I had to do it.

_This can't happen._

_This is not real._

_There is no way the orcs managed to break through the defensive line in the south._

_This has to be some sort of a nightmare._

Unfortunately, what Lirath was seeing was not a nightmare. It was as real as the cut on his left cheek. The cut the orc's axe had caused as its blade had grazed his face. The cut was neither deep or large so not much blood flowed out of it. It hurt a little but he ignored the pain as best as he could. His narrowed eyes rested on the orc who was not far away from him.

From the corners of his eyes, he saw a second orc who was lying not far away from him. He had slain the female orc a few moments before the orc, he was facing currently, had come out of nowhere.

This orc was a lot larger than the female archer Lirath had just killed. It was a male who was seven feet tall while Lirath was only six feet and three inches tall. The orc was very muscular but slow while Lirath was smaller but faster. Nevertheless, he knew he shouldn't underestimate the orc. One hit would be enough for the orc to knock the elf out and kill him then.

The elf's dagger was nothing compared to the axe the green-skinned creature was holding. The orc wore armour while Lirath only wore a red tunic and blue trousers. He regretted that he hadn't put on the chain mail beneath his tunic before he had left the house. But it wouldn't have protected him anyway. At least not against such a huge and sharp battle axe.

Lirath would only have a chance to kill the orc if he would manage to pick up the bow which was lying next to the corpse. But the orc was standing in front of it, not daring to move away. Lirath was not sure if the orc was aware of the bow which was lying there. If he was not, there was still the chance that he could lure him away and pick up the bow.

If he wouldn't manage to do that... Well, he would die. There was no other person in his near who could help him. Windrunner Spire was only about two hundred feet away from him, thick black smoke surrounded it. It was not the building which was burning. The trees around it were.

There was no ranger or guard in his near which was very odd, considering how many troops were stationed there. He hadn't spotted many orcs either. Maybe they had already left the spire which could only mean that they had already raided the house of Lirath's family. He was only hoping that his family was alright. He was hoping that they were hiding in the basement, in the wardrobes or somewhere where these ugly creatures couldn't find them.

He had to get to his house and look for his family. But first, he had to deal with the orc who was still hesitating to attack him for some reason. The young elf checked his surroundings without letting the green monster out of his sight. Nothing had changed. No other elves, humans, orcs or trolls were around them. They were alone.

Lirath had never killed a humanoid creature until this day. He had killed wolves, deers and boars before but he had never killed an orc or a troll before. He still didn't know how he had managed to kill the female orc with the bow. It had been more luck than skill but the orc was dead while he was alive. But now he was facing a male orc who was more muscular and a lot larger than his female counterpart.

The young high elf started to walk circles around the orc who was regarding him with narrowed eyes. Lirath assumed that the orc didn't charge at him without thinking twice because he believed that he had killed the orc because of pure skill. Lirath was glad that the orc didn't know that he wasn't as good as he assumed, otherwise, he would be already dead.

Lirath was not a bad fighter but didn't have a weapon which could keep up with the battle axe. He needed that bow so badly. Fortunately, the orc was dumb enough to walk in the opposite direction as Lirath continued to walk circles around him. His plan, to lure the orc away from the spot where the bow was lying, worked perfectly.

He reached the bow, throwing Camillia's dagger at the orc who blocked it with his axe. The dagger repelled and shattered in little pieces, its remains landed on the ground. That smart move had bought the elf enough time to pick up the bow and nock an arrow. The orc roared out loudly as he realized that he had been tricked by the blond man.

He charged at him but he was not very fast compared to the elf. Lirath was light and slim, meaning he was a lot faster than the bulky orc. He increased the distance between them, shooting arrows while running. He was a decent archer when he was standing on the same spot while aiming but he was not as good in aiming while running. It was a real challenge for him to hit the orc while he was running away from him.

He missed a few arrows, a few were blocked by the battle axe but then two arrows hit. One in the orc's unprotected left upper thigh and the other in the right upper arm which was only protected by a leather bracer. The orc cried out in pain but he didn't stop moving. His movements became slower so Lirath was able to increase the distance between them.

Sylvanas had always told him that it was no shame to run away from a stronger opponent as long as he would continue to shot arrows at him. And he did that. And it was very effective. He hit the orc's legs and feet more often, slowing him down until he was barely able to move without crying out in pain. The orc roared out in anger and did something unexpected.

He threw his axe at the astonished elf who was not able to react fast enough to completely dodge it. The axe grazed his left hip and left a deep and large cut behind. Blood was flowing out, waves of pain rushed through Lirath's body.

He gritted his teeth, preventing that a pained cry would escape his trembling lips. He was hurt but the adrenaline was giving him enough strength to keep moving and fighting. He pulled another arrow out of his quiver, aiming and firing it within two seconds. The orc had no other weapon or shield he could use to block the arrow. He was too slow to dodge the arrow which pierced through his bald green head and his brain. The orc was dead immediately, his body fell backwards and landed on the ground which was covered by the blood of the female orc.

Lirath knew he didn't have the time to pick up the arrows which hadn't hit the orc nor did he have the time to pull them out of the orc's body. He checked his quiver, counting five arrows. He had to press one of his hands on the wound on his hip to slow down the bleeding process as best as possible, so he was not able to pick up the battle axe because it was too large for him to hold it with only one hand.

He had nothing to stop the bleeding, he could only hope that a healer would be out there somewhere. Maybe he would find some bandages in the house of his family so he could to stop the bleeding for the moment. He had to do something if he didn't want to bleed to death.

Lirath started to move. He was running as fast as he could, his left hip hurt with every step he made but he ignored the pain as best as he could. He even gritted his teeth and bit his bottom lip hard from time to time to prevent that loud pained screams would escape his lips. He didn't want to tell his enemies that he was there. The consequences would be fatal. He was just hoping that no orc would approach him while he was running to his house, which was still eighty feet away from him.

He arrived at the large house eventually and stopped for a moment to check his surroundings. His eyes widened as he saw the numerous corpses which lied in a large puddle of blood. He saw lots of orcs and high elven guards and rangers. He saw dead wolves of enormous size, horses and even dragonhawks.

It was difficult to define the number of corpses which were spread all over the ground. There were lots of separated limbs and bodies which had been split into two halves. There could be twenty bodies but there could also be twenty-five or thirty. Maybe even more. It was impossible to define the exact number.

Lirath needed a few moments to avert his gaze from the horrible scene in front of him. He overgrew his fear, took all his courage together and left the dead bodies behind him as he rushed to the entrance of Windrunner Spire. He didn't need to open the door because it had been thrown out of its hinges, lying in the middle of the entrance hall.

A quiet shocked noise escaped his lips as he noticed that the entrance hall was devastated. It had been raided like all the other rooms where he was searching for survivors. He didn't find anyone at the first level, at least no person who was still alive. He had spotted more dead orcs but also more dead elves. Unfortunately, one of them was his cousin. He didn't have the time to grieve for her, not yet at least. He will have enough time later to mourn the fallen. He needed to find something with which he could treat his wound, then he needed to look out for survivors.

He picked up a sword from the floor, holding it in his right hand while he was still pressing his left hand on the wound. He was losing more blood the longer the wound remained untreated. He noticed that his body was shaking a bit. "That's not a good sign," he muttered, walking to the kitchen were the first aid-box was hanging on the wall.

He opened it. His eyes widened when he noticed that it was empty. Someone had plundered it already. He looked around, spotting bandages in a corner. Unfortunately, the bandages were soaked with blood which covered the kitchen floor.

He cursed silently, trying to remember if there was a second first-aid box or kit somewhere in the house. He came to the conclusion that there could be one in the cellar. But the entrance to the cellar was on the other side of the house, meaning he had to walk through the numerous rooms on the first floor.

He moved as fast as possible, making sure he didn't make any sound. He didn't know if there were still raiders in the house. It was not unlikely. Orcs could still be in the second or third floor, maybe even in the cellar. He had to be careful, otherwise, he wouldn't die because of bleeding. One wrong step could catch the attention of the orcs who could still remain in the house.

Lirath made careful but quick steps, reaching the staircase which led down to the cellar. He took a deep breath, walking down the stairs. He came to a door which creaked loudly when he opened it. He slipped in the room quickly, hoping no one had heard that. The room was totally dark. Even though his eyes got used to the dark quickly, he was not able to recognize much. He searched for the light switch, finding it eventually. He was about to switch on the light as he felt a sharp blade being pressed against his throat.

"Don't you dare to move," a low voice said. He breathed out in relief when realized to who the voice belonged. "Zendarin, it's me," Lirath whispered, dropping his sword. "You don't have to kill me, I'm on your side."

"Lirath? Is that you?" the familiar voice asked.

Lirath turned on the light, turning around as soon as his cousin had removed the blade from his throat. He didn't hesitate to regard him from head to toe. The robes of the red-haired mage were covered by blood but not by his blood. His robe was partly ripped but there were no wounds on his torso. The only wound he got was a stab wound in his left upper arm. He looked frightened, his face was very pale and his hand, which was holding the knife, was shaking. Lirath assumed that he was shocked and, traumatised by what he must have witnessed.

Lirath put his hands on his cousin's shoulders, staring into his widened eyes. It was not easy to calm down the frightened mage but he managed to do that eventually. Lirath wanted to ask him what had happened but then he remembered that he needed to treat his wounds first. He searched through the room, finding a first-aid kit. He opened it, asking his cousin for help. Together, they managed to stop the bleeding for the moment and dress the wound.

"What happened?" Lirath asked.

Zendarin was telling him everything he knew, He stuttered sometimes but he managed to explain to his cousin what had happened. He told him about the orcs who had come out of nowhere and attacked Windrunner Spire first before most of them had moved to the north to attack Windrunner Village. He told him about the battle in front of the spire and about the orcs who had entered the spire and devastated it.

"I saw your sister...She is dead... I'm sorry..." spoke Lirath, his voice reflected sorrow.

"I know that already... I fought by her side before the orcs pushed us back in the house. These bastards killed her and they will pay for that. Unfortunately, I don't know how many orcs died nor do I know how many of our people survived. I don't even know how many orcs are left.

"A lot of people died from both sides," said Lirath, regarding his cousin from head to toe once again. "What are you doing in the cellar anyway? I have expected you would defend our home and our family."

"I fought for a while but then I got poisoned."

"Poisoned?" asked Lirath. The worry he was feeling was clearly reflected by his voice and facial expression.

"It's not a lethal poison. It just prevents that I can use my magic, that's why I'm waiting here until I can cast spells again."

Lirath's look didn't reflect the mistrust he was feeling at the moment. His cousin's statement sounded plausible. He knew about poisons which could have such an effect on its victims so it was not unlikely that Zendarin was speaking the truth. He was wounded so it could be possible that the weapon, which had wounded him, had been poisoned.

On the other hand, Zendarin had never been a brave person. He was known for chickening out whenever something became too serious or too dangerous. He was not a hero, not even a survivor. He was more like a scared man who wanted to survive by any means. Lirath could also be wrong with his assumption that Zendarin was too cowardly to get out of the cellar where he was temporarily safe.

Nonetheless, he didn't say anything about his assumption. "We should check the other floors first. We have to look out for survivors."

"We don't know how many orcs are out there. It's too dangerous, we better stay here and wait for assistance," spoke Zendarin. It was conspicuous that he was avoiding eye contact. Once again, Lirath didn't say anything.

"We don't know if we get any assistance. We have to look out for survivors, that's our duty."

"I'm nothing without my magic. I won't be very useful."

A quite groan escaped Lirath's lips as he realized that his cousin was looking for an excuse to not leave the cellar. "You are better than nothing. You can help me looking through the rooms and guide the survivors out of the spire. We need to evacuate them. Come, Zendarin. It's our family we are talking about, we have to help them."

The redhead responded after hesitating for a few moments. "Fine, I follow you."

The blond elf didn't need to be told twice. He climbed the stairs to the first level, making sure Zendarin was following him. They climbed the stairs to the second floor, looking through the rooms one after one.

They noticed that all the other rooms had been raided and devastated as well. The furniture was either destroyed or had been thrown around, common items were spread all over the floor while valuable objects like jewellery or gold had been stolen. Some of the paintings, which had hung on the walls and showed landscapes in Quel'Thalas or high elves, had been stolen as well or destroyed. Nothing was standing on the spot it was supposed to be. There were also five orc corpses and three elf corpses on the second floor.

They also checked Lirath's room and the rooms of his sisters. They were a mess as well. At least he found six arrows in the highest drawer of one of Vereesa's cupboards and six arrows in his room so he had seventeen in total. He gave Zendarin the bow of the orc so he could take his bow out of his wardrobe. Fortunately for him, it was not damaged.

They were about to go to the library as they heard a loud scream coming from his parent's room. The elves didn't hesitate to rush through the corridor until its very end where the room of his parents was. Lirath had his bow drawn, an arrow was already nocked as his cousin opened the door. They entered the room. Their eyes widened as they saw the scene in front of them.

Two orcs were holding Lireesa Windrunner tightly, whose clothes were torn apart, while a third orc was unbuttoning his trousers at this very moment. It was obvious what they wanted to do to her. Lirath would do everything in his power to prevent that his mother would get violated by these sick creatures.

Raged filled him, leading him to let loose the arrow without aiming first. The arrow swooshed through the air and hit the orc right between his legs, causing that he cried out in pain. His comrades turned their heads, looking at the one responsible for their comrade's pain. They needed a few moments to realize what was going on so Lirath could fire another arrow which hit the orc in the left eye. The green creature was not dead yet but that changed when a sharp ice lance drilled through his chest and heart.

The orcs let Lireesa go, picking up their weapons quickly. One had a large sword and the other had two axes. Lirath ran to the left side of the very large room, shooting an arrow at the orc with the sword. He hit his left upper thigh but the next arrow was blocked by the sword's massive blade.

The orc charged at Lirath while his comrade moved towards Zendarin who was, contrary to his statement, able to use magic. A fireball hit the orc, setting him on fire. But before the flames were able to jump over on the nearest piece of furniture and cause that a fire would break out, Zendarin managed to hit his foe with an arcane blast, causing him to stagger backwards. The green creature stumbled over Lireesa's outstretched leg, falling through the hole in the wall right behind him.

The loud screams became quieter and quieter the more seconds passed. The sound of breaking bones was audible after a few moments. The orc's body had hit the ground and everyone was sure he didn't survive the fall. The last remaining orc cried out in anger as he tried to hit his opponent.

Lirath dodged the first swing, then the second but he was hit by the third which left a not so little gaping wound on his torso. A pained scream escaped his lips. He cried out in pain again as the orc's foot hit him and pushed him against the wall behind him. He bounced off the wall and landed on the ground.

Lirath tried to get up but his entire body hurt. He felt weak and his body felt colder than usual, probably because of the amount of blood he had lost so far. The orc raised his sword above his head, intending to kill the elf but ice wrapped around his hands and the sword, forming an ice block. He was no longer able to cut Lirath in half.

The orc brute had a bewildered expression of his face. He could beat Lirath to death with the ice block if he wanted to but he didn't. Instead, he turned around and charged at the mage who was already preparing the next spell. Unfortunately, the orc reached him before he could finish his spell, knocking him away which caused that his spell was interrupted.

The orc lifted the ice block above his head, ready to smash Zendarin's head. Both male elves were lying on the floor, unable to get up and react in time. But Lireesa was able to do something. She had picked up her son's sword in the meantime, throwing it at the orc whose froze hands were not far away from the mage's head. The orc froze in his movement as the sword pierced through his neck.

He turned around, spitting a massive amount of blood out. Shock and fear were written all over his face as he ran towards the half-naked woman. It was a miracle that he was still able to stand, walk and try to attack her. Even though Lireesa's disease didn't allow her to move very fast, she was still able to avoid getting crushed by the ice block. She jumped behind the orc, beheading him as she drew the sword out of his neck. The orc's head landed on the floor first, quickly followed by the massive body.

Lireesa rushed to her son, turning him around to see if he was alright. He was very pale, blood flowed out of two wounds. Her face was a mask of shock, her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. She fought off the panic which threatened to overwhelm her, pressing her hands on the wounds. Her voice was weak and trembled as she called after Zendarin who had gotten up in the meantime.

"This looks bad, I don't think the first-aid kit will fix his wounds. He needs a healer," spoke Lireesa.

"All of the priests and paladins who were stationed in the near of the house are dead. There must be healers in the village but I don't believe he will make it to the village," responded Zendarin hesitantly. He was afraid how she might react so he turned around and avoided looking at her.

"We must do something," she cried out. Her face was pale, her eyes were widened in shock and tears ran down her cheeks. She was afraid of losing Lirath. Afraid of losing her only son. She had already lost two nieces, one of her brothers and her brother-in-law on this day. She didn't want to lose him too. "You need to do something."

"But what... There is nothing I can do for him"

"Create a portal to Silvermoon City," she demanded.

Zendarin frowned, shaking his head slightly. "Creating a portal alone would take too much time, especially in my condition. My left arm is injured so I can only use one hand to cast which make things much more difficult. Not to mention that taking him through a portal would only make his condition worse."

"He will die if we don't try it. You said there is no healer out there, what else are we supposed to do?"

Lirath's weak voice was hearable. "He is right, mother. The wounds are deep and he would take too long alone. You can only bring me to the village and hope that you meet a healer on the way. Otherwise..."

"Hundreds of orcs could attack us while we travel to the village. Not to mention that the village is also under attack. You are not safe there."

"I'm not safe here either," he responded weakly, putting his hand on her cheek.

"We need to go," said Zendarin, handing his aunt a fresh robe he had taken out of her wardrobe. She put it on quickly, not caring that he was still in the same room. Together with Zendarin, she helped Lirath up who was still able to walk but only slowly. They dressed his wounds, hoping that will buy him some time. They got out of the room, leaving the house as fast as possible.

They saw a person on the forecourt. It was a priest with blond hair and a light-blue robe. He rushed to him as soon as he saw them. "Praised be the sun, a healer is here," Lireesa shouted, her voice and her eyes reflected hope. They placed Lirath on the nearest bench, stepping away so the priest had enough space to treat Lirath. The priest started to examine the wound on the left hip. "I will take care of him. You need to get out of here."

"I won't leave my son," said Lireesa.

"You have to," the priest responded with an insisting tone in his voice. "It's not safe for you here."

"I..." Lireesa started but the priest interrupted her. "The orcs can come every moment. You need to get out of here before it's too late."

"What about you?" she asked. "What happens when they come before you have healed all of his wounds. I can't leave you and Lirath here without knowing if you are safe or not."

"We will hide somewhere if the orcs come."

Lireesa frowned. "I can't do this. I can't leave my son."

"You can't do anything to help him," argued the priest.

"I can fight, so does he," she responded, pointing at Zendarin.

The priest stood up abruptly, turning to Lireesa and her nephew. His facial expression was twisted by anger. "Why do all women have to contradict me whenever I try to do something good for them?" he hissed loudly. He made a step forward, stopping right in front of Lireesa who was giving him a confused look. His fists were clenched, his bottom lip trembled and his eyes were was very upset for a reason none of the other elves knew.

Lireesa made a few steps backwards, looking at Zendarin who scrutinized the priest closely. He looked familiar to him. He knew this man but his name didn't come in his mind. He thought hard about the man's name, his eyes widened when remembered his name eventually.

"Aren't you Xenarion Sunsinger? Aren't you the famous priest who got arrested for hiring mercenaries to attack his own son? Aren't you supposed to be locked in a cell?"

Xenarion didn't reply to him, instead, he walked towards the smaller elf who backed away, keeping the distance between them constant.

"What are you doing? You are supposed to help my son. You have to do that," shouted Lireesa. Tears formed in her eyes. She couldn't understand what the priest was doing and why he wasn't helping her son.

She couldn't know that Xenarion had never intended to heal her son nor could she know that he was responsible that the orcs were attacking Windrunner Village and Windrunner Spire. He had told the Horde how they could weaken the army of the high elves by emotionally hurting the Ranger-General. The attack will leave marks on Sylvanas and weaken the morale of the high elves. Not to mention how huge the impact of Lirath's death would be on Sylvanas. He wanted to break her emotionally.

Nobody will ever understand why he was doing that. He had betrayed his people to save his family but mainly himself. But he also did that to hurt Sylvanas because she had arrested him, hit him in the face years ago and because she had something with his son. By hurting her, he indirectly hurt Kelrian as well. That meant he could punish him for taking away his family.

"I HAVE TO DO NOTHING!" he roared out. The colour of his eyes turned dark purple and his hands started to glow in the same colour.

"He is a shadow priest," warned Zendarin before he was hit by a shadow bolt. He collided with the wall, losing consciousness as he landed on the ground. Lireesa looked at her nephew, then she looked at her son whose eyes were widened as well. He tried to get up but the shadow priest lifted him up without touching him and flung him against the wall. Lireesa whined and screamed as she rushed to her son, who became weaker quicker than expected.

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?" she screamed as she reached her son and lifted his upper body up.

"No, I know exactly what I'm doing. I've never planned on helping him," he responded, a mischievous grin appeared on his face.

"How can you do this? He did nothing wrong to you. He is an innocent child. How can you do this to him?" she screamed. More tears ran down her cheeks which fell on her robe and on the ground. She pressed her hands on his wounds, staring into Lirath's eyes. The more blood he lost, the weaker their glow became.

Lireesa was churned up, shocked, angry and full of hate. She couldn't believe that this criminal was on free foot and refused to heal her son. He was killing him by doing nothing. He had knocked out Zendarin for no reason and he watched her son die slowly for no reason.

She didn't want to lose Lirath. She didn't want to lose the youngest of her children. She didn't want to lose any of her children. She wished she could help him, heal him, save him somehow. But there was nothing she could do for him. The only one who could save Lirath was Xenarion who regarded mother and son with a satisfied grin on his lips.

"This is nothing personal," he said as he came closer. "It's right that he has done nothing wrong. He is innocent but I'm not doing this to hurt you or him. I do this to hurt your whore of a daughter. Sylvanas Windrunner interfered in my business and now she pays for that. That will teach her a lesson to never interfere in my family matters," he responded, looking at the sobbing woman who was kneeling next to her son, witnessing how he was becoming weaker and weaker. She wasn't able to prevent that more blood was flowing out nor could she prevent that his strength left him slowly.

He was dying and there was nothing she could do to prevent that. She looked into Lirath's eyes, whispering soothing words to him. She knew it was time to say goodbye but she didn't want to say goodbye. She didn't want to lose him, didn't want him to be gone. But there was nothing she could do to change his fate.

Lirath whispered her name before his eyes stopped to glow and his body became limp. Lireesa pressed her head on the chest of her dead son, sobbing loudly.

Xenarion walked away, the corners of his lips formed a mischievous grin. The cries and shouts of Lireesa Windrunner were music to his ears. "That happens when someone messes around with me," he muttered as he left Windrunner Spire behind him.


	31. Repercussions

_He is dead._

_Gone forever._

_He will never return._

_Never ever._

_How could this happen?_

_How could the orcs push so far and break through our defences?_

_Why did they attack Windrunner Village and Spire?_

_Did they do it to hurt me? Did they want to let me suffer for the countless lives of orcs and trolls I have taken? Did they do it because they want to break me?_

Countless thoughts were going through Sylvanas' head. She was grieving. Grieving about her dear brother who hadn't even reached adulthood when he was killed. He was only thirty-seventh years old which was nothing for a high elf. High elves could become over three thousand years old but not everyone reached this age. The main reason for that was war. The trolls and orcs had killed too many people over the past years. Rangers, guards but also civilians like Lirath.

But Lirath had not only been murdered by the orcs but also had been betrayed. All high elves had been betrayed. Betrayed by a certain priest. Xenarion Sunsinger was the bastard's name. He could have saved Lirath but he didn't. He sealed Lirath's fate when he refused to heal him. He was not better than the trolls and orcs and he will pay for his crimes one day.

Sylvanas felt not only grief but also rage. She was furious. She wanted to find Xenarion and kill him but he had disappeared. He was out of her reach and there was nothing she could do to catch him. There was nothing she could do to calm herself down. She was shattered. Her whole world had turned upside down with Lirath's death. She didn't regard things the same anymore and she didn't enjoy what she had enjoyed before. She had left her favourite meal almost untouched like all the meals of the past few days. She had barely eaten anything.

She felt weak.

Tired.

Exhausted.

Broken.

Shattered.

Destroyed.

Worthless.

Useless.

She hadn't been there when Lirath died. She hadn't been there when her village and her home had been attacked by these ugly green creatures. She hadn't been there to defend her family. She hadn't been there to defend her mother who had almost been raped by orcs. She hadn't been there to prevent that Lirath would get mortally injured by his opponents. She hadn't been there to force this sick bastard to heal him. She would have beaten him up until he would have healed her brother.

But she hadn't been there to help anyone. She had failed them, disappointed them. She was a disappointment. She was not the mighty Ranger-General, the best of all rangers. She was a weakling who couldn't even protect her own family. She had failed Lirath, failed her mother, failed even Zendarin. She failed her family and she will never forgive herself for that. What kind of a leader was she when she couldn't even protect her own brother?

She was not fit to lead the Farstriders. She was not fit to lead the high elven army. She was a disgrace. She was nothing. She had never expected that the orcs would break through the southern defence line. Over three hundred high elves died that day. Two-hundred and fifty rangers and guards and eighty civilians. She couldn't protect them. Her plan had failed. She had failed her people. Failed herself. Failed everyone.

While the orcs had devasted her home, shehadbeen victorious with the next step of her had conquered the last remaining outposts of the Amani trolls, meaning that only Zul'Aman was left where the bastard Zul'jin hid like a coward. Sylvanas had lost hundreds of elves, dozens of humans and dwarves but they had killed more than one thousand trolls in return. The Amani trolls were almost defeated but that didn't mean the war was won because the forest trolls and the orcs were still out there. The orcs had not only weakened the defence of Quel'Thalas, but they had also dealt a heavy blow to the morale of the elves.

Sylvanas couldn't overcome her grief. She couldn't stop herself from crying all day and all night. She was shattered. She hadn't left her room for an entire week. She had barely seen her mother, her sisters and her father who were grieving as well. But unlike her, they were grieving together and comforted each other as best as possible. They had offered Sylvanas to join them but she had declined their offerings.

Seeing the sad faces of her family would only make things worse because she would remember that she had failed them as well whenever she would see them. It was her responsibility to protect the citizens of Quel'Thalas so she was also responsible to protect her family. She had failed in both cases and she was not sure if she would ever be able to forgive herself for her failure and weakness.

She stayed in her room. Either she hid beneath her blankets or she stood on the balcony, looking into the distance. Three weeks had passed since Lirath's death. The orcs had been pushed back and driven out of Quel'Thalas but they will return one day. She was sure about that.

The Alliance had reclaimed the occupied villages and started to rebuild them. More bases had been built near Windrunner Village and Windrunner Spire. More soldiers were stationed there and more groups were patrolling through the area around these two places. The builders were in the process of rebuilding the defensive line in the south and strengthened it so the orcs won't be able to break through it that easily next time. All of their siege engines had been destroyed so they won't return within the next week.

The orcs may have been driven out of Quel'Thalas but it was still possible that a few of them remained somewhere. Any orc with a bow or anything they could throw very far could completely destroy the morale of the high elves if he would manage to kill the Ranger-General while she stood on her balcony. Sylvanas didn't care about her own safety because she felt too shattered to care about herself.

She had been unprotected for the first few days and she hadn't cared about that. Fortunately, a few mages had noticed that she spent a lot of time on her balcony so they had created an invisible barrier which protected her from anything that could be thrown at her. No arrows, axes, spears or other missiles could harm her as long as the barrier was intact.

Grief had overwhelmed her so she was unaware of what her death would cause. Not only would her death affect her family which was still coping with Lirath's death but also would the morale of her people sink drastically. They would seek vengeance and make stupid decisions which could lead to their defeat. She was essential for victory, without her the chances were much lower. An entire nation would mourn if she would die.

It was already hard for her rangers to fight while she was absent. The difference between fighting with Sylvanas and without Sylvanas was huge. Her rangers were better and more motivated when she was around. The positive effect of her mere presence on others was a phenomenon. Without this positive effect, the high elves had a hard time dealing with the trolls in the east and south-east. They won battle after battle but their losses were larger than under Sylvanas' command.

Normally, Alleria would have taken over the army and lead them but she was busy following Xenarion who was fleeing south. She had set in her head to chase him until she would get him one day. And her team was helping her.

In the absence of the two most famous members of the Windrunner family, Verena had taken over and had managed to push the trolls back. She had sent several groups of scouts and spies to the south which had the task to find out what the orcs were doing and planning. She did a great job at driving out the trolls of their lands. She was not such a good archer, leader and strategist as Sylvanas but she did her best. The high elves were still winning the battles against the trolls even though their Ranger-General hadn't left her room for two weeks since the reconquest of Windrunner Spire and Village.

Sylvanas stood in front of her window, looking out of it. She was not in the mood to go on the balcony and feel the warmth of the sun so she remained in her room and regarded the house's surroundings from this angle.

She still mourned for her brother.

There was nothing which could comfort her and satisfy her thirst for vengeance. She would love to hit the face of the guilty man until it would be nothing more than a bloody mess. She would love to hit him over and over again until the grief and the emotional pain she felt would disappear. She wouldn't mind killing him in the process because he deserved it in her opinion.

And she was not the only one who shared her opinion. The inhabitants of Quel'Thalas wanted Xenarion dead. He had betrayed their people and did nothing while an innocent young man bled to death just because he had had a few differences with the Ranger-General. Basically, he killed a young man because he had had problems with his sister.

These problems had become larger because the older sister of the person he had problems with chased him until she would get him. She wouldn't mind chasing him until the end of the earth. He had a lead but it became smaller with each passing day. Alleria will find him one day and put him to justice. Sylvanas was hoping that at least. She would never be able to overcome her grief if this bastard would still be out there, being allowed to breathe and live while her brother was dead.

She didn't turn her head nor did she say anything as she heard knocks at her door. She didn't say anything because she knew the person who was knocking would enter anyways.

Kelrian entered the room, carrying a tray in his hands which he put on her desk next to the barely touched trays of the past days. He knew she wouldn't eat much but he was still hoping that she would stop her hunger strike or whatever she was doing, so he had put only half of the daily ration on her tray.

He regarded her. Her body looked thinner than he remembered and that worried him. She didn't turn her head to him as he greeted her nor did she do or say anything as he came closer until he stood directly behind her.

He regarded her face, at least the half he was able to see. Her eyes were red from crying while her face was pale. Her otherwise perfect blonde hair was messy and greasy, which meant she hadn't showered for days or maybe even weeks. Her bottom lip was burst and it was unmistakable that she had chewed on her nails.

Kelrian knew Sylvanas since quite some time, so it had been a shock at first to see her like that when he had visited her a few days after he had received the bad news. He had visited her every day, spoken to her and even hugged her. She had barely reacted to him whenever he had come to her. She hadn't spoken to him nor had she looked at him. Instead, she had stared out of the window or had been standing on the balcony.

At least she had allowed him to hug her. Sometimes she had even put her head on his shoulder or had pressed her face against his chest when she had burst into tears. Kelrian had held her in his arms, ran his fingers through her messy hair and had whispered soothing words in her ears whenever she had done that.

He didn't get feedback from her if that helped her but he noticed that her body relaxed whenever he had held her for a while. She wasn't saying or showing it but his presence really helped her. She felt safer when he was around. His pure presence comforted her but it was not enough to fill the hole inside her. He wasn't able to fix her shattered heart but at least he was able to help her control her rage and prevented that she would do anything stupid caused by the grief she couldn't overcome.

At this very moment, he was hugging her from behind as he normally did. His strong arms were wrapped around her waist, one hand laid on her belly while the other held her hand. His head rested on her shoulder so he was able to kiss her cheek, her neck and her ear from time to time. These kisses had a positive effect on Sylvanas.

The kisses helped her relax but she was still grieving and Kelrian had no clue how he could help her overcome her grief. He had tried to talk to her but she didn't respond to him. He had tried to look into her eyes but she had turned her head away whenever he had tried that. Even putting his hands on her cheeks and force her to look at him hadn't worked out. In the end, she had elbowed him in the stomach until he had let her go. Even massaging her shoulders or combing her messy hair didn't help her.

Even Verena hadn't been able to comfort Sylvanas. She had tried it alone when she had visited her for two days, then she had tried it together with Kelrian. Both attempts had failed. Verena had returned to the front a week ago so it was up to Kelrian to stand by her and try to comfort her somehow. He spent his entire free time with her, he even stayed every second night. Either he slept on her couch or in her bed, holding her and speaking to her while she cried herself to sleep. Basically, he was with her whenever he wasn't working.

Verena had withdrawn him from the front to the area around Windrunner Village and Windrunner Spire where he went to patrol every day with five other rangers. She had done that so he could visit her every day and try to help her. He was there for Sylvanas while she couldn't. She wished she could help her best friend but she had to lead the elven army in Sylvanas' absence. Victory was the most important thing.

They stood there for a while, looking out of the window without saying anything. Sylvanas wasn't showing it but she was glad that Kelrian visited her whenever he could. He had to work overtime every day becausewar had come to their land and wouldn't leave for a while. Every single ranger, guard and person who was able to fight worked longer than usual. Half of the rangers were fighting the Horde and conquered the troll's territories while the other half made sure that the borders were secured and no invader would overcome their defence.

Kelrian had to work for ten to twelve hours a day. He only slept for five to six hours every day and he spent his entire free time with Sylvanas. Kelrian's mere presence really helped her to get used to Lirath's death. She still hadn't accepted it. She still couldn't believe that he was gone forever. She still blamed herself and mourned for him but she was doing better and better with each passing day.

It was just a matter of time until Sylvanas' phase of grief would end and she would be herself again. Sooner or later, she would come out of her room and return to the front. She wouldn't stop until the trolls and orcs would be defeated. That was very likely to happen. She had sworn to call Zul'jin and the Warchief of the Horde, Orgrim Doomhammer to account for their war crimes. And she wouldn't stop until her vow would be fulfilled.

But for now, she remained in her room and grieved for her little brother who had been taken away from her too soon. Kelrian stood by her, watching over her whenever he had the time. He did his best to calm her down and comfort her, he didn't know if it worked because she barely responded to him. She didn't look at him nor did she speak to him but she didn't send him away. She knew he was doing his best to support her whenever he could and it was not his fault that her mood was only slowly getting better from day to day. But even Sylvanas realized her mood was getting better and better.

She still didn't feel in the mood to do anything, nor did she respond to her lover who didn't know what else he could do. It bothered him that he couldn't help Sylvanas, no matter what he was doing for her. He felt useless, blamed himself and even called himself a bad boyfriend. He didn't realize that he was the only person who could help Sylvanas to overcome her grief. He was the only one who could help Sylvanas out of her valley of grief. He didn't have to do much to make Sylvanas feel better from day to day. He only had to be there for her, which he was.

A few hours had passed in which Sylvanas and Kelrian had only stared out of the window. He had held her in his arms and she had enjoyed that. So had he. He had expected that she would go to the balcony after she had wriggled out of his embrace. But instead, she had walked to her bed. She sat there cross-legged, regarding him curiously.

Yes, she looked at him for the first time, after two weeks in which she had avoided to look at him. The face she made looked different from those she had made during the past two weeks. She didn't look that sad anymore but she didn't look happy either.

It was unmistakable that she was still grieving and hadn't managed to cope with her brother's death. Her heart was still shattered into millions of pieces but these pieces were slowly reassembled. She just needed time. Time she didn't have because her people were counting on her. They were hoping she would return to the front soon. Of course, they understood that she needed time to assimilate everything.

Nevertheless, the morale of the rangers and guards had suffered under Sylvanas' absence. They still believed in victory and in their leaders but the longer the Ranger-General was absent, the more insecure they became.

Kelrian knew that so he was hoping he could comfort Sylvanas so she could return to the front soon. But in the first place, he wanted to comfort her because he loved her and it pained him to see her suffer. To manage to bring her back to the front was only the second place on his priority a ranger, he should always think of the interests of his people first and then he could think of his personal interests.

But the reality was that he cared for Sylvanas the most. His people came second to him. He loved her. And she loved him. She had barely shown it over the past weeks but she loved him more than everything else. Their love was strong **.** It gave them the strength to go through everything together, overcome every problem and get rid of all threats. There were only a few bonds in the world which were stronger than the bond these two individuals had together. They will get through these hard times. Together.

Kelrian's face reflected surprise as he looked at Sylvanas who stared at him without saying anything. Her lips formed a thin line, her blue eyes stared into his. He returned her gaze, tilting his head a little. She continued to stare at him, only breaking eye contact when her stomach growled loudly and she automatically looked at the trays which were standing on her desk.A small smile appeared on Kelrian's lips as he noticed that the food had aroused her interest. He was worried about her because she hadn't eaten much within the past weeks so he would be very happy if she would take a few bites at least.

He pointed at the newest tray as he looked at her. "Do you want to eat something, honey?"

She didn't respond verbally but the nod she gave him was enough to bring a smile on his lips. His gaze didn't leave her as he walked over to her desk, picking up the newest tray on which a bowl filled with salad and a bottle of moonberry juice stood. He walked back to her, placing the tray in front of her.

Sylvanas took the bowl and placed it on her lap. At first, she poked around in the bowl with a fork but after a few minutes, she started to eat. She ate the salad slowly at first. Then she ate faster and emptied the entire bowl. She took the bottle, emptying half of it before she handed it over to her lover who almost emptied it.

He handed it back to Sylvanas who signalized him through a gesture that she wanted to eat more. Kelrian walked to the desk, picked up the tray from the previous day and returned to Sylvanas, handing it over to her with pleasure. He smiled at her while she emptied the plate of fruits within half an hour. Sylvanas even emptied the tray from two days ago but then she was satisfied and signalized Kelrian that she wasn't hungry anymore. He sat next to her, regarding her curiously.

"Are you alright?" he asked eventually.

"I think so...," she spoke slowly and quietly. "I think I'm not over Lirath's death yet. But... I feel better than I felt weeks ago. Thanks to you. You showed patience and stayed by my side even though I haven't looked at you for two weeks."

Kelrian gave her a small smile. "Well, I'm doing what a good boyfriend has to do. I'm just glad I managed to help you."

"I don't deserve you," she replied, her blue eyes rested on his handsome face. She didn't avert her gaze, noticing that he wasn't able to avert his gaze either.

Soft laughter escaped his lips. "That's not right. I am the one who doesn't deserve you," he responded. "I never will."

"I look like crap. You deserve someone better."

Kelrian moved closer to her, putting his hands on her cheeks. "There is nothing which can't be fixed with a bath. Besides, you are perfect to me no matter how you look. I would love you if you would look like this for the rest of your life. I don't mind if you look good or bad. I'm not like your numerous admirers who love you only because of your look and your reputation. I love your character, your behaviour, your strength, your charm, your quirks... Basically, I love everything about you and not just your look. But I can't deny that you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. You are the most beautiful woman in the entire universe. There is no one who can compete with your beauty."

Sylvanas smiled at him, putting her left hand on one of his, caressing it carefully. His words meant a lot for her. They built her up, gave her strength and confidence and acceleratedthe process of assembling her shattered heart. She was glad that she had him. Without him, she would have fallen into a deep depression. Without him, she wouldn't have managed to complete the first step of getting over Lirath's death.

He hadn't done much. He had just been there for her and had helped her with his mere presence. He had helped her more than any other person could have. Not even Sylvanas' family or her best friend could have comforted her by just spending time with her. They would have given up after two days if Sylvanas would have also refused to speak to them.

"I miss him so much," she spoke eventually, her voice sounded sad and reflected grief. So did her face. She was sad whenever she thought about him. She wanted to cry, wanted to hide in her room where she wanted to stay until the end of the time. She wanted to be alone forever whenever she thought about her little brother. But then came Kelrian in her mind whenever she noticed that the grief was about to overwhelm her. She imagined him smiling at her. That gave her enough strength to fight back the grief and start thinking positively again.

The memories of him were not enough to make her forget about Lirath but that was okay because she didn't want to forget him. She always wanted to remember her little brother. She just wished that she didn't have to feel emotional pain whenever she thought about him. To achieve that, she had to accept his death and the fact that she would never see him again. That wouldn't be easy but with Kelrian's help, she should manage that. She had to cope with his death. It was necessary for her sanity and for her people.

They needed her. They needed her by their sides. They needed her in the war against these green bastards who were responsible for the deaths of thousands of elves. And for Lirath's death. Kelrian needed her as well and she needed him. They needed each other. Her family needed her. Basically, everyone needed her.

She only needed her family and Kelrian. And a bath as well. She got up, walking to the other side of the room. "Where are you going?" her lover asked curiously.

"I'm taking a bath," she replied, glancing at him shortly before she looked at the enclosed her hand around thedoorknob, signalizing Kelrian that she wanted to open the door and leave the room.

"Shall I join you or do you think it would be too early?" he asked, eying her curiously.

"Normally, I wouldn't say no to a bath with you but I guess I need some time alone to think about everything," she told.

"Shall I go then or shall I wait in your room?"

"Wait here for me" she responded, returning his smile. She regarded him for a few moments, then she opened the door and walked through it, leaving the curious and relieved Kelrian alone in her room.


	32. The next step

Numerous thoughts came in her mind while she lied in the bathtub and relaxed. Thoughts about the events of the past weeks. The conquests of the troll camps and bases, which had involved heavy losses from the side of the trolls but also from the side of the Alliance. The news about the devastation of Windrunner Village and the attack on Windrunner Spire.

The news about Lirath's death which had hit her harder than anyone would have expected. No one had expected that it would have hit her so hard that she wouldn't leave her room for two weeks. She still wasn't over his death, thinking about him depressed her but at least she was able to bear the emotional pain. She was able to think clearly and focus on the important things.

Her people needed her aid against the trolls and orcs. They didn't only need her because she was the best ranger in Quel'Thalas but also because her mere presence was enough to increase their morale and give them courage and hope. The other rangers fought better while she was around them. It was a phenomenon even Sylvanas herself couldn't explain.

Her plan was to return to the front soon and then push her troops forward in the south-east. Her goal was to conquer Zul'Aman and put Zul'jin in chains. He had to pay for the crimes he had done and Sylvanas will not stop until he had been put to justice.

Sylvanas also thought about her family. About Alleria who had told her that she will hunt down Kelrian's father before she had stormed out of her room. She still couldn't believe that the father of her lover left Lirath to die. She assumed that he was the one who gave the enemy the tip to attack Windrunner Village and Windrunner Spire. There was no other reason why the trolls had spared him after they had killed the guards who should have transported him to the prison in Silvermoon City.

At first, Sylvanas had assumed that the trolls had taken him captive because his corpse couldn't have been found anywhere. But his emergence in Windrunner Spire confirmed that he had not been kidnapped. Instead, he worked together with the enemy. Sylvanas had no proof that he was really working with them but there was no other explanation why the trolls had let him go.

She had no clue what he was going to do next. She assumed that he would try to bring his family back to his house. At least he couldn't do that in the near future because he was away from Alleria and her best rangers. He didn't have the time to kidnap anyone but that didn't mean that Kelrian's family was safe. It was not unlikely that Xenarion had told the enemy to attack Suncrown Village next and kidnap his family. Kelrian was worried about them so was Sylvanas.

At least, Verena had stationed more troops in and near Suncrown Village. More groups were patrolling the area around it. In general, more scouts were moving through Quel'Thalas, looking out for trolls and orcs who tried to reach Suncrown Village or any other village or place in Quel'Thalas.

She was sure that Alleria will find him soon and bring him back. But Xenarion was not the only problem her people had. The trolls were still making trouble and the orcs were also a threat. The orcs might have retreated but that was only a temporarily retreat. They will return sooner or later. There was no way they wouldn't. She assumed they would return as soon as they had built enough siege engines. Sylvanas could only hope that the humans will take care of them.

The orcs had slipped through their fingers one time which had led to the attack on Quel'Thalas and to Lirath's death. She could only hope that the orcs wouldn't be able to get away from the humans a second time. She had faith in Anduin Lothar, the leader of the human army and his second in command, Turalyon.

She had only met Alleria's lover a few times but the time they had spent together had been enough to give her the impression that he was a strong and fearless warrior. The human kingdoms were powerful allies whose help the high elves needed. Sylvanas was only hoping that they wouldn't get defeated by the orcs. Not like the kingdom of Stormwind whose capital city had been left in ruins when the orcs had attacked it during the first war.

Nonetheless, the orcs and trolls had suffered heavy losses over the past months which meant they were slowly losing if they don't have another ace card in their sleeves. Sylvanas was only hoping that the orcs and trolls would be defeated soon. She was tired of fighting against these green creatures. She just wanted to live in peace with the man she loved. With the man who had been there for her during the past weeks, had supported her and tried to calm her down as best as he could.

She was asking herself what she would do without him. She would be less motivated to survive every single day. Being able to see him at the end of the day was enough to motivate her no matter how hard her day would be or how many foes she would have to kill. She loved him with all of her heart and there was nothing which could change that.

Sylvanas came back to reality eventually as she stopped thinking about everything which came up in her mind. She leaned back and relaxed, enjoying the pleasantly warm water. It felt so good to take a hot bath, especially after she had avoided it for more than two weeks. She relaxed for a while then she finally started to wash herself. She cleaned her skin carefully and thoroughly with a sponge and washed her hair. She managed to make her greasy hair perfect again by using only a bit of her favourite hair shampoo. Her hair was not a mess anymore, instead, it was loose and fluffy. It would dry quickly and shine if she would go outside and step in the sun.

Sylvanas got out of the tub eventually, wrapping a towel around her body and another one around her head after she had dried herself. She left the bathroom, her eyes widened in surprise as she saw her mother who just came out of the room next to the bathroom.

She looked paler and thinner than she remembered. Her hair once had a golden colour, now it was just pale blonde. Sylvanas could only assume that Lirath's death had been responsible for the drastic changes in her appearance. The grief and emotional pain must have overwhelmed her. Sylvanas was glad that her appearance hadn't changed at all while she had mourned for her brother. She felt so sorry for her mother.

Unlike her, her mother had been there when Lirath had died slowly. She had been there when Xenarion had refused to heal him. She had seen Lirath die. She had seen everything, witnessed how the life had left him slowly. There had been nothing she could have done for him. He had died in her arms and she hadn't been able to save him.

Sylvanas didn't want to imagine how her mother must have felt before and after his could only assume that she must have felt shattered.A whole world must have collapsed for her when the last sign of life had left him. Sylvanas was not sure if her mother had blamed herself for Lirath's dead. It was not unlikely that her mother had blamed herself for not having been able to protect Lirath. Lirath would have never died if she would have handled these three orcs alone.

But it was not her fault. She was not a fighter, not anymore to be exact. She had been the best ranger once but that had been a hundred years ago. She was not as good anymore as she had once been, not even close. Her disease didn't allow her to fight as well as she used to. Without her disease, she would have dealt with these orcs so Lirath wouldn't have been injured by the third orc. She also could have helped to defend her home and helped to drive out all orcs so Lirath wouldn't have been hurt in the first place. But she hadn't been able to do that so she felt guilty, even though it was not her fault.

It was Xenarion's fault that the orcs and trolls changed their plans suddenly and attacked Windrunner Spire and Windrunner Village. It was not unlikely that he had told them how to break through the southern defence line. Otherwise, Sylvanas couldn't explain how the orcs had managed to break through the thick wall without knowing its weak points. It didn't matter for the moment but Sylvanas was still curious. She wanted to find out what went wrong so she could do something about it to prevent that the orcs would manage to break through the defence line again in the same way.

Nevertheless, it was not Lireesa's fault. There was nothing she could have done to save Lirath. Even attacking Xenarion wouldn't have changed anything. She would have never been able to force him to heal her son. Intimidation and threats might have worked on other priests but not on Xenarion. Lirath would have died no matter what Lireesa would have tried. Lireesa could only accept that it was not her fault. That was everything she could do.

But she didn't. She still felt guilty, broken, shattered and angry. Lirath's death had hit her pretty hard. It was visible in her eyes, in her face and in the way she was behaving. The once lively mother of four children had become a sad, broken woman with only three children. Sylvanas was not sure if her mother's condition would become better, same counted for her mindset.

She was hoping for the best, knowing she had to support her mother as best as she could. She had to be there for her until she would feel better. She knew she didn't really have the time for that. She was needed at the front. Her people needed her but her family needed her as well and she needed her family the same way.

She had to choose between returning to the front tomorrow or staying home for a few more days. She was debating inwardly, making a thoughtful face while she did that. It was her duty as the Ranger-General to act in the interests of her people. It was her duty to prefer her people's interest over her family's interests and her own interests. That meant she should go to the front.

But something told her she should stay at home and support her mother who needed her, so did her father and the rest of her family which was left. Several uncles, aunts, cousins and other relatives had perished in the orc attack but many members of the Windrunner family had survived. The Windrunner family was an extended family. Sylvanas couldn't take care of everyone but she could spend time with her father and mother and comfort them as best as she could.

She didn't feel ready to go to the front tomorrow and risk her life. She needed a few more days until she would be fit. Physically and mentally. She had to eat more, sleep enough and train until she would be in form again. Returning to the front the following day was a bad idea. She needed time to recover, otherwise, she wouldn't do her people a favour if she would get killed because her mind and her body were still weakened.

It would be the best if she would stay a few days at home. Not to mention her mother wouldn't let her go if she would tell her that she wanted to return to the front so soon. If it was up to her, she would lock her children in their rooms and never let them out. But it was not in her power to decide what her children should or should not do. They were members of the Farstriders so they had to return to the front and fight. They had to do that sooner or later. Vereesa had already returned to her group.

Together with Verena, she planned and led assaults on the freshly erected troll bases. Vereesa overcame her griefby killing as many trolls she could. She would rather kill orcs but these creatures had retreated after they had been driven out of Quel'Thalas. They were hiding in a place which wasn't in the range of the couldn't make them pay for what they have done so the trolls were the ones who had to suffer instead.

Sylvanas had heard rumours that Verena had allowed the other captains and lieutenants to attack non-military targets. Such as villages where innocent trolls were living. Old trolls, women and children who had nothing to do with the war. Sylvanas had always preached to her people that they should never sink on the same low level as the trolls'.Killing civilians was a war crime. The trolls and orcs didn't care about such unofficial rules. Wars should always be fought by warriors and not by innocents who couldn't defend themselves.

She could only hope that these rumours were just rumours and that they wouldn't be true. Otherwise... She didn't know what she would do if it would turn out that her subordinates weren't better than their enemies. She could understand that her people were angry about the attack on two non-military targets. But taking an eye for an eye was never a good had to ask Verena about these rumours. No matter if these rumours would turn out to be true, she had to talk to her subordinates and let them remember that they were better than these green beasts who saw themselves as humanoid beings.

Sylvanas noticed that she had been standing on the same spot since her gaze had fallen onto her mother who had returned her gaze without saying or doing anything. Mother and daughter had stared at each other while they had been lost in thoughts and reflected about so many things. Sylvanas noticed that her mother really needed a comforting hug so she approached her. She didn't care that her towels slipped a little as she threw her arms around her mother's neck and hugged her tightly.

Lireesa didn't hesitate to return the hug, closing her eyes. She took a deep breath, noticing the aroma of the shampoo Sylvanas had used to wash her hair. It smelled after peaches, Lireesa's favourite fruit. Lireesa couldn't stop herself from running her left hand through Sylvanas wet hair while the other hand rested on her back. The hug lasted longer than Sylvanas had intended. They pulled away after a while, looking at each other. Sylvanas didn't blush as she fixed her towel which had slipped enough to reveal her ample bosom.

"So...," her mother started but stopped as she realized she didn't know what to say.

"So...," replied Sylvanas but she didn't speak any further because she was at a loss of words like her mother. They were silent for a few minutes, doing nothing but staring into the other's eyes. But then Sylvanas broke the silence by asking if her mother was alright.

"I think so."

"Are you sure?" asked Sylvanas, giving her a questioning look.

"Yes, I am."

Sylvanas' face reflected doubt. "You don't seem to be alright."

"Well... To be honest... I don't manage to get over Lirath's death no matter how hard I try. I can't stop thinking about him. Whenever I try to distract myself, his face comes back in my mind. I start to remember his last few moments and then I..." she stopped speaking abruptly, tears ran down her cheeks.

Sylvanas didn't hesitate to pull her into another tight and comforting hug, whispering soothing words in her ears. She needed a few more minutes but with the right words, she managed to calm her mother down eventually. Nevertheless, she didn't pull away nor did her mother. They remained close, Sylvanas rubbed her mother's back while Lireesa ran her fingers through Sylvanas' wet golden mane. Toying with Sylvanas hair proved to be very reassuring for the insecure woman.

"I don't think I will get over his death soon. I only hope I will one day," whispered Lireesa.

"I will stay a few days before I return to the front. I know you don't want to let me go but you have to. Our people need me."

"I need you as well but I understand that you have to go. Our people need their best ranger in the war. Do me a favour and kill as many of these green bastards as you can. Do not spare anyone."

Sylvanas stroked the back of her head. "Don't worry, I will not spare a single troll or orc."

"You are a good girl," complimented her mother.

A small smile appeared on Sylvanas' lips. "How's father doing?"

The smile on Lireesa's lips vanished, her eyes reflected sadness and a look of worry appeared on her face. "He comes to terms with Lirath's day in a different way..."

Sylvanas frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He... drinks much more than usual... I'm afraid he gets addicted to alcohol if he isn't already..."

Worry was also reflected by Sylvanas' face. "Should I talk to him? Maybe I can help him accepting what happened."

"I tried to talk to him but it didn't work. Maybe you are able to help him," responded her mother, making a thoughtful face.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know. Probably in the local pub. I assume he had already emptied a bottle or two. Maybe more."

Sylvanas gave her mother a questioning look. "Should I meet him tomorrow and speak to him as soon as he is sober?"

"You better do that if you really want to help him."

Sylvanas nodded. "Alright, I will meet him tomorrow then."

Lireesa caressed her daughter's cheeks, giving her a small smile. "Do that, Lady Moon." Lireesa giggled, pressing a kiss on her daughter's forehead. They were equally tall so she didn't need step on her tiptoes to reach her forehead with her lips.

"Lady Moon," repeated Sylvanas, chuckling. "I already miss my sisters but I'm glad that I will see them soon. I will stay near Vereesa as I have promised and assist her. Alleria will return with this bastard Xenarion sooner or later. I will make sure he will receive what he deserves." Sylvanas facial expression had changed from relaxed to tense while she had spoken. But the tension disappeared as she stared into her mother's eyes who was still caressing her cheeks and toyed with strands of her hair.

"I will make dinner soon. Are you hungry?"

"I am actually. Can I ask you something?"

Lireesa nodded.

"My uncles, aunts and cousins aren't visiting us today and Alleria and Vereesa are not at home which means only the two of us would eat together. I thought about inviting someone to dinner. Someone I want to introduce to you," said Sylvanas.

Lireesa's eyes widened, a surprised expression appeared on her face as she realized what Sylvanas was hinting at. A long stressed "Oh" was the only sound which escaped her lips. But her surprised expression changed quickly. The corners of her lips formed a smile. "A new lover, so so..."

Sylvanas nodded her head, not knowing why she was blushing a little.

"I'm curious to meet her."

_Her._

"Well, it's not a woman," replied Sylvanas.

Lireesa gave her daughter a surprised look. "Really? I thought you swing that way."

"How did you come to that conclusion?" Sylvanas asked, her facial expression was a mix of confusion and curiosity.

"You don't want to marry Prince Kael'thas, the most popular and most handsome man in Quel'Thalas. The only lover you ever introduced to us was Verena. Not to mention the other woman I caught you with ten years ago. That's why I thought you are only interested in women."

"I'm not really into women, to be honest. Verena was the only exception. And the other woman... It was an accident. I was... Well, I don't really need to justify myself. She was just a one-night stand, let's say it that way. I'm only interested in men. And don't worry, it's a high elf and not a human. I'm not Alleria who fell for that good looking human," explained Sylvanas.

"So, you mean that there is a chance that one day I get grandchildren who are not half-elves?"

Sylvanas laughed nervously. "Probably. We are not that long together to think about getting children, marrying and such stuff. But yeah, I think he is the right one."

A happy smile appeared on Lireesa's lips. Sylvanas hadn't seen her so happy for weeks. "Normally, I would ask you to tell me more about him but you don't need to do that because I will meet him later."

"I'm sure you will like him," responded Sylvanas, returning the smile.

"Does he live in the near?"

"He lives in Suncrown Village. Why are you asking?"

"I just wanted to know when I should make the dinner because you need some time to reach Suncrown Village and return with him"

"He is already here, in my room to be exact. You can start with the preparations now if you want."

Lireesa raised her eyebrows, giving her daughter an amused look. "He is already here?"

"He helped me come to terms with the events of the past weeks. He visited me every day and spent his already limited free time with me. He is a good guy and I'm pretty sure you will like him," explained Sylvanas.

Lireesa stroked Sylvanas' cheeks. "I'm happy as long as you are."

Sylvanas didn't respond verbally but she smiled at her mother who returned it.

"Anyways, I will go to the kitchen now and make dinner. I will tell you when it's ready."

"Fine," responded Sylvanas. She looked at her mother one more time before she turned around and walked back to her room. She opened the door and stepped in it without hesitation. She found Kelrian sitting on her bed, reading one of her favourite books. _Love_ _to the end of the world._

He was so absorbed in the book that he didn't notice his lover who had just entered the room. Sylvanas didn't make any sound as she walked over to him and took a seat next to him. She knew the book inside out so she only needed to read a few lines to know exactly where he was. She kept reading with him, wondering when he will notice her. She read a few pages with him, deciding at it was time to get his attention. She got behind him and wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. She kissed his neck softly, smiling when he startled. She put her chin on his right shoulder and took the book out of his hands, putting it next to him.

"Ah, Sylvanas. I didn't expect you to be back so soon" he said, turning his head a little so he could see her out of the corners of his eyes.

"So soon?" she asked, giving him an irritated look. "I was gone for two hours."

His face reflected pure surprise. "Two hours? It felt more like fifteen minutes."

"That's what reading is like. You dive in a strange new world and get known to it and its characters. You can spend hours exploring it without realising how much time passed. It's perfect to turn your thoughts off and relax after a hard and stressful day," she explained.

"I have to say I really enjoy this book. I have always enjoyed reading books but I have only read adventure or fantasy books. I never read romance novels before."

"You missed a lot." Her sentence sounded more like a fact than her opinion.

Soft laughter escaped Kelrian's lips. "I believe that."

"I can lend you the book if you want," said Sylvanas, kissing his right cheek.

"That would be cool," he responded. He smiled as he felt Sylvanas snuggling closer to him, practically pressing her body into his. He could feel her breasts, which weren't covered by a bra, against his back. He was only wearing a thin white t-shirt so he could feel the pleasant warmth which was radiated by her body. He closed his eyes, taking her hands in his as he enjoyed the close body contact. He rubbed the backs of her hands with his thumbs, listening to her quiet and rhythmical breaths.

They were enjoying each other's presence, doing nothing but sitting there. The pleasant silence was disturbed by loud knocks at Sylvanas' door.

Kelrian opened his eyes, looking at Sylvanas who kissed him quickly.

"Dinner is ready, honey," shouted Lireesa.

"I guess I have to go now," said Kelrian quietly.

"No, you can eat with us. I told my mother that I want to introduce you to her."

"Really?" asked the surprised young man.

Sylvanas nodded her head. "Alleria already knows of our relationship and I know her pretty well. It's just a matter of time until she would tell our parents. So, I want to tell my family first before they find it out that way."

"Okay, we are together for almost four yearsso I don't mind telling your family. I'm just a bit nervous, to be honest," he admitted.

"You don't need to. It's only my mother, you and I. My father is not at home."

A questioning look appeared on his face. "Are you sure it's the right time to introduce me to your mother. I mean... My father didn't help your brother, so it's only understandable that your mother must hate this bastard. But I'm the bastard's son, unfortunately, which could mean that she wouldn't like me as well. You know what I mean?"

"I do but you don't need to be worried about that. I told my mother a lot about my rangers, especially about my best ones. She knows much about you. She knows who your father is and she also knows that you hate him as well," responded Sylvanas, giving him a comforting look.

"Are you sure she wouldn't hold a grudge against me?" he asked, sounding a bit worried.

"I think so. I know my mother pretty well, so I believe she will handle it. We can't choose our parents so she won't hate you from the beginning. Besides, I have to introduce you to my family sooner or later. As I've already said, Alleria knows about you so my parents will find out about you sooner or later. I prefer introducing you to them than them finding out about you. In the end, it doesn't really matter which way they find out about you. But I want to do it this way."

"Okay...I hope your assumption about your mother is right," responded Kelrian. He sounded less convinced than Sylvanas has hoped for but a smile from her was enough to let all his worry disappear.

"I hope so as well. Everything will be alright. Trust me."

Kelrian nodded his head. "I always do."

"So, you will join us?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I will."

"Alright, just let me put on a comfortable dress, then we can go downstairs."

"I won't stop you," said Kelrian and looked away as Sylvanas walked over to her wardrobe.

"You can watch me getting dressed if you want. You don't have to look away," spoke Sylvanas. She waited until Kelrian had turned his head to look at her, then she gave him a wide grin. She dropped the towel, revealing her nude form, which he had seen so often, to him. He returned her smile, watching her as she put fresh red undergarments on. Then she took a purple coloured dress out of her wardrobe and put it on. She made sure that it fit perfectly, then she turned around on her own axis once. She looked at her lover who was scrutinizing her with widened eyes.

The dress was absolutely beautiful. Sylvanas was stunningly beautiful even without the dress, so there were not enough words to describe how good she looked in that dress. She was gorgeous. She knew that and he knew that as well. She didn't need to look in a mirror to confirm that she looked good. Kelrian's widened eyes and his wide open mouth proved that. Nevertheless, she glanced in the mirror quickly, combing her hair so that it sat perfectly.

"I'm ready," said Sylvanas but she got no reaction from her still stunned lover. He didn't say anything nor did he blink while he looked at her. He stared at her, admiring her beauty. She stepped to him, coming very close. She waved her hand in front of his eyes then she shook him slightly. Kelrian was brought out of his thoughts, his cheeks reddened when he realized that he had been lost in thoughts and stared at her like a horny teen.

"Good, you are back on this planet. Let's go to the dining room," said Sylvanas as she walked to the door. Kelrian nodded his head, picked up his blue jacket and put it on. Then he followed Sylvanas out of the room.


	33. Eye for an eye

Sylvanas and Kelrian arrived in the dining room. There was a large table in the middle of the room on which at least twenty people could sit. Sylvanas' aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives were visiting them from time to time so such a large table was necessary. Often, not all guest could sit at the same table which meant that a second, much smaller table was needed. That table stood not far away from the large table, near the right corner of the room.

The table was set already, the dinner stood at its head. There were three plates. One at the table's head, one to its left and one to its right. But the table and the chairs around it were not the only pieces of furniture which stood in the room. There was a cupboard which contained the plates and the cutlery. There was a blue carpet which was made out of the best fabrics of Quel'Thalas and covered the entire floor.

A few paintings hung on the walls. One painting showed Windrunner Village from afar, one showed Windrunner Spire and another one showed Sylvanas, her siblings and her parents. It was a family portrait. There were three more paintings and all of them looked better than any other painting Kelrian had ever seen. Whoever had drawn these must be a very good artist.

Kelrian regarded the paintings for a few moments. He turned his head as he felt that his hands were placed in the hands of someone else. Sylvanas gave him a smile, guiding him over to the table. She signalized him to sit down on the left seat while she sat down on the opposite seat. The first thing Kelrian did was to take a closer look at the meal which had already been served.

There was a plate on which a turkey was lying, a bowl with lots of peeled potatoes and there was a small can with a brown sauce. Lireesa came in the room at this very moment, carrying a bowl full of cooked vegetables. She placed the bowl next to the turkey, turning her head to look at Kelrian.

Kelrian stood up so did Sylvanas. He approached Lireesa first, lowering his head in respect as he shook her hand and greeted her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Windrunner. I'm Kelrian." He regarded her from head to toe, noticing that her dress was made out of the same material as Sylvanas'. The only difference was that it was coloured in blue instead of purple.

Lireesa smiled at him. "It's a pleasure for me too, you can call me Lireesa if you want."

Kelrian kissed her hand, looking at her for a few moments before he sat down on his chair. Lireesa did the same, glancing at Sylvanas who gave her a small smile. She looked back at the man Sylvanas wanted to introduce to her.

"I'm sorry for your loss," said Kelrian. His voice was quieter but sounded very emotional. He was really sorry for what happened to Lirath, even though it was not his fault. His voice expressed his feelings perfectly.

Lireesa's eyelids flickered, her eyes reflected grief and sadness but only for a short moment. She nodded her head, not saying anything. Sylvanas put her hand on her mother's, giving her a comforting smile. "Kelrian wants to put Xenarion to justice, just like us. He is on our side."

"I know," responded Lireesa. "You told me a couple of times that he doesn't like his father."

"That's an understatement. I hate him. I hate him more than anything else. He is an inferior abusive asshole who doesn't care about others. He only cares about his own interests. He forced my mother to do whatever he wanted and he threatened her whenever she disagreed with him. I can't wait for your oldest daughter to catch him and bring him to the prison of Silvermoon, where he belongs for the rest of his pathetic life."

Lireesa gave him a sympathetic smile. "I agree with you. But we shouldn't talk about him, we only ruin the mood if we do that. He won't escape his fate forever. We should rather speak about you. Sylvanas told me a lot about you but she never told me that you are her lover. Nor did she tell me how you met."

Sylvanas answered for him. "We met fourteen years ago. He came to the entrance examination and showed great potential even though he failed. I knew from that day that he will become an excellent ranger one day. He failed the second examination but he passed the third and trained hard under my lead since then. He became one of the best rangers of the current generation and I'm pretty sure he will become better than everyone else."

"And then did you two become a thing?" Lireesa asked curiously, smiling at the couple.

"I've developed feelings for him since the first day we met but I haven't realized them until the third examination. I needed a few years to admit to myself that I love him and then I told him about my feelings. And then... we came together. That's our story."

Her mother smiled as she looked at Kelrian. "You must know that Sylvanas always talked about you whenever she visited us. There was not a single day where she hasn't mentioned your name."

Kelrian didn't know why he was blushing. He didn't say anything, he just looked at Sylvanas' mother and gave her a smile.

"Sylvanas always told me how good you are but that was all she said about you. Is it okay if I ask you a few questions? I want to know more about the man who is making my middle daughter happy. I'm not the only one in our family who noticed that Sylvanas has become much happier over the past years. Not to mention that she doesn't visit us that often than she used to do. I expected that she found someone but I've never dared to ask her," said Lireesa.

She stood up and picked up a large fork and a large knife, cutting off parts of the turkey. She placed a wing on Sylvanas' plate and a leg on Kelrian's. She put a wing on her own plate, then she spread the potatoes, the vegetables and the sauce equally. She sat back on her seat and looked at Kelrian, signalizing him that she expected an answer.

"Sure you can. I'll try to answer everything I can," he said, smiling shyly.

"Tell me about your hobbies."

"Well, I love hunting and doing ranger things. I practise my shooting and close combat skills, follow traces in the woods and stuff like that."

"I was Ranger-General before my lovely daughter. I know exactly what you are talking about. Keep going."

Kelrian rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I love reading. That's everything you have to know about my hobbies. What about you?"

"I love reading as well," she responded.

"Really? Which genre?"

"Romance and adventure."

"Romance, that's interesting. Now I know from who Sylvanas got her love for books and her beauty," he complimented.

Lireesa chuckled and blushed a little. "Thank you. What do you read?"

"Mostly, adventure and fantasy novels but I have started to read one of Sylvanas' favourite books. I have to say it's better than I have expected."

"Which one?" she asked curiously.

"Love to the end of the world," he responded, taking the cutlery in his hands as he noticed that Sylvanas had started to mash her potatoes with her fork. He did the same, shoving a fork of mashed potatoes in his mouth.

"That's a very good book. The author is an old friend of mine. I rarely see her these days because she is very busy but I meet her two or three times a month."

"That's cool," replied Kelrian as soon as his mouth wasn't full anymore.

"I've heard that you are living with your mother and your younger siblings in your cousin's house."

"Yeah, I live in her house since my father has thrown me out because I didn't pass the priest entrance examination twice. My mother and my younger siblings live there too since I freed them out of my father's claws. They are a lot happier since they don't have to live in my father's house anymore. Unfortunately, my older siblings haven't noticed yet what a monster my father really is. They stand by his side, for whatever reason."

"I hope you can open their eyes one day," spoke Lireesa.

"I hope that too," replied Kelrian.

"I think we should eat first before the meal gets cold," Sylvanas threw in. "We can continue to talk as soon as we are done with the meal."

Lireesa smiled at her daughter. You are right, my dear. I wish you both a good appetite."

"Same," Kelrian and Sylvanas said in unison. The three started to eat, not saying anything while they enjoyed their meals. Sylvanas and Kelrian stared in each other's eyes all the time, they didn't even avert their gazes to look at their plates. Lireesa observed them with a happy smile on her lips.

She was glad that her daughter was happy and she didn't mind at all that she was in love with the son of the bastard who let her son die. It was not his fault that his father was an absolute bastard. No child should be blamed or punished for the crimes and faults of their parents. She thought that way so she didn't hold a grudge against Kelrian.

She knew Kelrian hated him the same way she did. Like him, she couldn't wait that this bastard would receive his just punishment as soon as Alleria would catch him. It was only a matter of time until Xenarion would be locked in the cell he should have been locked in the first place.

She had only met one of Sylvanas' former lovers so she could only compare Kelrian to her. Kelrian was a very nice guy. And good looking as well. She couldn't deny that Verena was also very beautiful. She had needed some time to accept her but then she had really liked her. It had been a shock for her when she had found out that Sylvanas had broken up with her after they had been together for ten years. On the other hand, it had also been a relief to her because she had hoped Sylvanas would marry the prince one day.

She was still hoping her daughter would marry him. Nevertheless, she had accepted Sylvanas' decision that she would never marry Kael'thas. She was happy as long as Sylvanas was happy so she accepted Kelrian. He made her happy and he was also very popular among the Farstriders. Lots of people knew his name and had heard of his believed it was just a matter of time until he would do a heroic move which will make everyone remember him **.**

A glorious future awaited him. Sylvanas knew that so did her mother. Like her daughter, Lireesa knew when someone had the potential to become one of the best. She had never seen Kelrian in action before but she knew her daughter never overstated when she told her about her rangers and their skills. She trusted Sylvanas' judgement so she suggested that Kelrian will become one of the best.

The meal was very delicious. They were silent for a few minutes after they were done eating but then they started to talk again. Lireesa asked Kelrian about his life as a ranger, the experiences he had collected so far and where he would see himself in ten years.

He answered honestly and told her that he enjoyed the life of a ranger, helping those who couldn't defend themselves and that he enjoyed killing those who tried to harm his people. He also told her that he had no clue what the future would hold for him but he would be happy if he could still work with Sylvanas and be her lover.

Kelrian also asked Lireesa a few personal questions which she answered honestly. He found out that Lireesa had met Sylvanas' father on a Lunar festival hundreds of years ago. It had been love at first sight. They had talked a lot, started to meet oftener and then started to date. He also found out that Sylvanas' grandparents were not the biggest fan of Alleria's decision to mate with a human. They regarded Alleria's son Arator as a pollution of their bloodline and that was the reason why they didn't visit Alleria. They only visited Sylvanas' parents during the week because they knew Alleria would only visit her parents on the weekends.

That reminded Kelrian how his own family treated certain members. He drew parallels between Sylvanas' grandparents and his father and older siblings. The only difference was that half of his family hated him because he wasn't able to become a priest while Sylvanas' grandparents didn't like Alleria and because of her mate and her half-breed son. Nevertheless, both parties were intolerant and that was unacceptable. He knew he wouldn't be able to change their minds no matter how hard he would try. His father would never listen to him and his older siblings had been manipulated by him which meant they wouldn't listen either.

Family was the most important thing in the world. Sylvanas' family had lost a few members which could mean that Sylvanas' grandparents might have noticed that there were worse things to be upset about than the choice of a human mate. He was only hoping they would realize that they were wrong.

Lireesa served the dessert eventually, which was homemade vanilla pudding. All three elves ate the delicious pudding with joy, getting another portion eventually. Kelrian and Sylvanas thanked Lireesa for the meal, telling her that they had enjoyed eating and talking to her. Lireesa smiled at them, thanking them after they had helped her clearing the table and washing the dishes.

"We spent more time talking than I have expected. It is already dark outside," said Sylvanas as she looked out of the window. Lireesa stepped next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder as she looked out of the same window. "Why don't you offer our guest to stay the night in our lovely home?"

"That's a good idea," said Sylvanas and turned around to look at Kelrian who stood next to the table. He nodded to her, signalizing her that he would love to spend the night with her. "We would go to my room then."

Lireesa nodded to her, giving her a small smile.

"Good night, mother."

"Good night, honey," responded Lireesa. She ran her fingers through Sylvanas' hair, kissing her left cheek and her forehead. "I see you tomorrow then."

Kelrian wished Lireesa a good night too, then he followed Sylvanas through the corridor. They climbed the stairs, arriving on the second floor. Kelrian expected that they would go back to her room but instead, they stopped after they had put half of the distance behind them.

Kelrian frowned as Sylvanas turned around and looked at the door right next to them. She grabbed the doorknob but she didn't open the door. Kelrian regarded her curiously, wondering what she was doing. He didn't know in front of which room they were standing. Sylvanas opened the door eventually, tears formed in the corners of her eyes as she looked into the room.

The room had been tidied up since the last time Sylvanas had entered it. There were no rubbles, no pieces of destroyed furniture, no blood and no orc corpses. Lirath's room looked exactly as it had looked before the orcs had raided the house. She could only assume it had taken a lot of willpower and strength for her parents to refurnish his room.

Even though it looked exactly as it had looked before, it appeared more like a shrine than an actual room. It was treated like a shrine at least. Sylvanas' mother didn't allow anyone to enter Lirath's room. Not even her daughters. Sylvanas would love to go in his room and remember the good old times. She had hoped it would help her to cope with his death. But the truth was it didn't help at all. On the opposite, it made it only worse.

She remembered that she would never be able to see Lirath again. Never be able to see his smile again, watch him perform on a stage or practise for a performance. She would never be able to help him practise aiming again, train him in close combat or teach him how to hunt animals.

She would never be able to listen to his sweet voice again when he would talk to her or sing for her and she would never be able to hear him playing on his panpipe again. There were a lot more things she was already missing and will always miss. She had believed she had accepted his death. She had believed that from the middle of the day until the moment before she had opened the door to his room. The truth was that she hadn't accepted his death yet and she was not sure if she ever will.

It hurt so much to remember him. She wanted to have him back but it was not possible. The orcs had taken her brother away from her. They had taken his life and Xenarion had helped them and let Lirath die. She was sure he would pay for his crimes but catching him wouldn't bring Lirath back. Nothing could bring him back and she knew that. She could only hope Alleria will catch the traitor soon and put him to justice.

She was unable to avert her gaze from Lirath's room, noticing that tears ran down her cheeks. She was unable to move, so she couldn't wipe the tears away. Fortunately, there was someone who did it for her. Kelrian hugged her from behind, whispering comforting words in her ear. He managed to calm her down and walk away with her after he had closed the door against her protest. They arrived at her room, silently entering it. Sylvanas walked over to the bed, falling onto it. She buried her face in her palms and started to sob quietly. Kelrian sat down next to her, rubbing her back as she cuddled up to her.

He managed to pull her onto his lap, so she could press herself against him, resting her head on his chest as she kept sobbing. He ran her fingers through her hair and kissed her cheek and her neck from time to time. He didn't say anything but he didn't need to do that. His mere presence caused her to calm down.

"I'm sorry," she muttered after a while. Her head didn't rest on his chest anymore and she had the opportunity to stare into his eyes but she didn't because she was too ashamed.

A small smile appeared on his lips. "You don't have to be sorry."

"The day was perfect but I've ruined it because I cried once again like a little girl... I'm such a disgusting person."

Kelrian frowned. "You are not. It's okay to cry, especially when you lose someone who means a lot to you. There is nothing wrong about showing emotions."

"I know but I have to stay strong for our people, otherwise, they won't believe in me anymore. They think that I'm the perfect ranger who deals with every situation no matter what happens. That's a lie. I'm not perfect, I'm an emotional wreck. How can I help my people when I can't even help myself? How can I stop the enemy when I can't even stop myself from crying? How can I lead my people to victory if I am not able to cope with my brother's death and refuse to leave my room for two weeks? Tell me how can I be a good leader if I'm not even able to fight after losing only one person. What happens if I lose dozens of persons during a battle? Tell me how I can do this."

Kelrian was silent as he thought about what Sylvanas had just said. What she had said about herself was not true but he had no clue how he could convince her of the opposite. At first at least.

He spoke to her, telling her whatever came in his mind which could cheer her up. After an entire hour of a one-sided dialogue, Sylvanas silenced him by sealing her lips on his. The kiss was short but it was enough to make Kelrian understand that she was fine.

He looked at his lover whose eyes were still wet from crying but other than that she seemed to be fine. She smiled at him as she rubbed his cheeks. "Thank you, my dear. I don't know what I would do without you."

He didn't respond to her, he just smiled at her, pulling her in for another kiss which lasted longer and was more passionate. "Remember that I will always be there for you. I will never leave your side."

"Promised?"

"Promised," he replied, pulling her in another tight hug.

"We should get some sleep," he said after a while. Sylvanas agreed with him, getting up to walk to her wardrobe. She removed the purple dress, which had been crumpled while they had hugged for so long, and put on green undergarment and a green pyjama. Kelrian removed everything but his shorts, smiling at Sylvanas as she crawled over to him. They laid down, wrapping their arms around the other. Sylvanas put her head on his shoulder, intertwining their fingers as they held hands.

"I really enjoyed the dinner with your mother," he whispered.

"Me too and I'm pretty sure my mother enjoyed it as well. I think she likes you."

Kelrian gave her a curious look. "Are you sure?"

Sylvanas nodded as she stared into his eyes. "I am."

"Good. I've expected that she wouldn't like me because... I'm Xenarion's son, you know."

"She hates your father but that doesn't mean she hates you automatically. We can't choose our parents and she hasn't chosen hers either. She quarrelled often with them and disagreed with them about numerous things. She knows that children are not always in harmony with the older generations."

"Are you sure she sees it that way?" he asked quietly.

"She knows your father is an asshole and you are not. She knows you are not like him so she has no prejudices and doesn't bear a grudge against you," Sylvanas explained, kissing his cheek.

"Will you introduce me to your father and tell your sister that we are in a relationship?" he asked after he had been silent for a few minutes.

"I will but first I will see if my father is alright. I will probably invite you for dinner again when the rest of my family is gathered. I mean Vereesa, Alleria and my father. I don't want to invite my uncles, aunts and cousins too. I assume that it would only be possible after we have defeated the trolls and orcs. We will return to the front in a few days which mean we won't be home for a while."

"I'm fine with that, responded Kelrian.

"Anyways, we should really get some sleep right now. Good night, my love," she said, pecking him on the lips.

"Good night," he whispered. He regarded her for a few moments before he closed his eyes and relaxed, falling asleep eventually.

* * *

Xenarion spurred his horse, commanding it to move faster. The animal was moving as fast as it could, which was not very fast compared to others. He hadn't allowed his horse to get enough rest while he had ridden for days. His horse was very exhausted but it gave its best to leave as much distance as possible behind in a short time. Xenarion ignored the heavy breathings of his mount and spurred it again. He didn't care that he hurt the horse whenever the heels of his boots came in contact with its ribs.

As he could have expected, the horse became slower with each passing hour. He spurred it over and over again but he didn't manage to make it move faster. It was too exhausted to do that and the pain it was feeling didn't make it better.

He came to a forest in which the distances between the trees were not very large so the horse couldn't move as fast as he wanted. He had to slow down the tempo otherwise, the horse might have run against one of these thick trees. He cursed silently as he realized that he had to guide the horse through the forest slowly. There was no other way to get to the other side of the forest. There was no way around it, which meant that crossing the forest was inevitable.

The forest seemed to never end. He was about to lose his patience. He wanted to leave this damned forest as fast as possible but he wasn't able to leave much distance behind him within one hour. He had no clue how large the forest was, he was only hoping that he could leave it as soon as possible.

Suddenly, his horse stopped and looked forward. He regarded his horse with a frown on his forehead, wondering what it was doing. He spurred it, not caring that he was causing more pain to it. His horse had sensed something and he knew that but he didn't care. He didn't care that his horse refused to move because it seemed to be afraid of buried the heels of his boots in the sides of the mount but it didn't start to move. Xenarion became very angry, continuing to mistreat his mount. Despite the pain he caused, he didn't manage to make it move.

He cursed loudly, checking his surroundings. He was afraid that his pursuers were in his nears. But they weren't. There was no one near him. He was alone in the forest, alone with the horse which didn't want to move. He pulled hard on the horse's reins, kicking it again and again with the intention to make it move. An angry snort escaped the horse's snout as it reared up and threw its rider out of his saddle.

Waves of pain rushed through his body as he landed on the ground. He got up after a while but everything around him was blurred out as he opened his eyes. He was pretty sure he had hit his head when he fell. His vision became clearer until he was able to recognize everything around him. His head was hurting but at least he wasn't seriously injured.

He looked around, noticing that his horse was gone. He assumed that he must have passed out for some time, otherwise, his horse would have never managed to get out of his sight in a short time. He checked his surroundings again, noticing that he had no clue out of which direction he had come from. He stayed on the same spot for nearly a minute, consideringin which direction he should move. He chose a direction eventually, hoping it was the right direction.

He walked for a while, not knowing how much time had passed as he spotted a small camp. He hid behind a large tree as he spied it out. There were five tents and a campfire around which three trolls and two orcs were sitting. He pulled the small totem, Leth'al had given him, out of his pocket as he approached the camp. The orcs and trolls turned their heads to him as soon as they heard his footsteps. They drew their weapons, one of them was about to throw a spear at him as the big troll noticed the totem in his hands and called his men back.

The muscular troll, who had called his comrades back, walked towards Xenarion and regarded the totem curiously. He took it out of the elf's hands, showing it to his comrades who lowered their weapons. He handed it back to the priest who nodded to them. Xenarion tried to tell the orcs and trolls that someone was pursuing him but none of his allies understood a word. He cursed silently as he realized that none of them was able to speak thalassian. He tried to communicate with them with the help of sign language but none of them found out what he was trying to tell them.

He pulled the scroll out of his bag, which Leth'al had given him, and unfolded it. He regarded it and was about to say something as he heard a quiet noise. He looked around but didn't see anything nor did he recognize where the noise came from and what or who had produced it. He looked back at the trolls and orcs, realizing that they hadn't heard anything.

He heard the same noise again but he realized too late what it was. He couldn't have warned the trolls and orcs anyway because they couldn't understand him. The first troll fell and landed on the wet ground. He was dead. An arrow stuck right between his eyes. Blood flowed out of his forehead and was spread all over the ground. A moment passed. Another creature died. A bald orc.

Panic started to overwhelm Xenarion. He knew exactly who was killing these orcs and trolls. That person was not here for them. She was here because she wanted to catch him. He didn't see the person but he knew it was Alleria Windrunner. He had seen her several times in the far distance during the past weeks. He had always managed to escape her because he had had a large lead. He assumed Alleria had managed catch up to him while he had been unconscious and now, she wanted to capture him. He turned around and started to run away but the muscular troll followed him and tackled him, pushing him onto the ground.

Xenarion got up quickly, his widened eyes rested on the green-skinned creature which facial features were distorted in anger. The troll pulled two large knives from his belt, walking slowly towards the priest. Xenarion assumed that the troll thought that he had betrayed them. He couldn't know that it hadn't been Xenarion's intention to bring Alleria to the camp. He'd been on the run from her for weeks. His intention had not been to lead her to his allies but the troll couldn't know that because there was no way Xenarion could tell him the truth.

The troll sprinted forwards, trying to cut the priest in halves. But Xenarion managed to avoid his attack at the last moment. He dodged another attack, slipping through the troll's legs, who was at least three heads taller than him. He got up and focused his power, allowing the shadows to empower him before the troll was able to turn around.

The large troll with the bluish dyed hair and the pierced nose turned around, his eyes narrowed as he recognized the change of his former ally's appearance. The changing of the priest's eye colour didn't worry the warrior nor did the black glowing tattoos that had appeared on his skin from nowhere. The troll remained calm, watching every movement the shadow priest made.

Xenarion muttered a few words creating a void bolt which he threw a moment later at the troll. The troll tried to dodge it but he was too slow. The bolt hit his left hip, causing that a painful cry escaped his lips. But the pain didn't stop the troll from charging forward and ramming the shadow priest who had tried to cast a spell before the troll would have reached him. Xenarion was flung to the ground but he got up and leapt backwards before the troll could have rammed his large knives in his chest.

Xenarion created two more void bolts, only one hit the troll but it was enough to injure him and make him really angry. Xenarion realized that making the troll angry had not been a good idea. He was enraged. He was faster than before and appeared more terrifying than before.

Nevertheless, Xenarion managed to avoid all of his attacks with more luck than skill. He managed to hit the troll over and over again, slowing him down whenever he managed to hit his legs. He even managed to lay a curse on him which caused pain to him. The pain got stronger the more time passed.

The troll was still able to stand, he focused the last remains of his strength for a large leap. He landed next to the surprised shadow priest, ramming his elbow in his face. Xenarion cried out in pain as the troll's elbow was rammed in his stomach, his cries became louder when the troll's foot came in contact with his upper body and pushed him away. He landed on the wet ground, his upper body hurt like hell so did his head. He tried to get up but the troll threw him back onto the ground.

The angry troll dropped one of his knives, grabbing the shadow priest by the neck. He lifted him up until their heads were at the same height. His narrowed green eyes stared into the elf's blue ones. He started to throttle the priest and smiled at the poor attempts of his opponent to get free.

But his grip was too strong so Xenarion had no chance to get free. The troll lifted his knife up, pressing its tip against his cheek. A scream escaped Xenarion's lips as the troll left a deep cut on his handsome face.

The troll was about to ram his knife through the elf's upper body as three arrows pierced through his head. The troll was not able to scream because he was dead immediately. His grip loosened so Xenarion managed to free himself. He landed onto the ground and was unable to prevent that troll's massive body fell forward and landed on him.

The pain he was feeling was too strong so he was unable to gather enough strength to push the dead troll off him. He tried hard but the troll was too heavy and he was too weak to get free. He turned his head as he heard footsteps which became louder and louder. A person he knew suddenly appeared next to him. The person was no other than Alleria Windrunner whose arms were crossed in front of her chest. Her eyes reflected hatred, her facial features were distorted in anger.

Three rangers stepped next to her, regarding him with the same expressions on their faces. Together, they lifted the troll up and pushed him away, freeing Xenarion. Xenarion's body still hurt so he didn't manage to get up. Alleria looked at her rangers, receiving nods from them. She sat on Xenarion's upper body and didn't hesitate to connect her clenched fist with his jaw. A pained scream escaped his lips followed by another as she hit him again.

The lips of the rangers formed pleased smiles as Alleria hit him over and over again, breaking his nose and jaw in the process. But she didn't stop hitting him. She screamed at him as she let out all anger and grief which had built up over the past weeks. His vision turned red and blurred out eventually but he didn't pass out. The amount of pain he was feeling increased whenever he got hit. The pain was unbearable.

He wished he would pass out soon so he wouldn't have to feel the pain anymore but he stayed conscious. He couldn't stop Alleria from beating him up, nor did any of her rangers stop her. He was hit by her bare fists, over and over again.

He didn't know how many times Alleria had hit him already nor did she. It made a lot of fun for her to punch this asshole and it also helped her coping with Lirath's death. He had let her brother die, so he deserved everything she did to him. It made her really happy to punch him, to connect her fists with his head. She didn't care that her knuckles became bloody because she knew her wounds would heal sooner or later. His pained cries were music to her ears and the sight of his blood on her clothes made her even happier.

Alleria was not satisfied yet but she stopped eventually after she had realized that his face was nothing more than a bloody mess. She got up and allowed her rangers to kick him until he passed out.

Alleria regarded him for the moment, then she turned her head and looked at her best friend.

"Are you okay?" asked Lindara.

"I am. Beating him bloody is not enough to make him pay for what he has done to my family but it is a good start."

The raven-haired woman gave her a small smile. "This asshole deserves it."

"He hasn't suffered enough yet. But for the moment he has. We will bring him to Silvermoon and lock him in a cell where he belongs for the rest of his pathetic life. I will make sure he never comes out."

"I can't wait to lock him up," said Lindara.

"Burn the corpses of trolls and orcs before we depart in ten minutes," ordered Alleria.

"As you wish," replied her friend.


	34. Discrepancy

"Are you busy?" asked a deep but pleasant voice.

Alleria folded the letter and put it in the envelope. "Give me a moment." She sealed the letter with wax and put it aside, turning to the familiar man who was standing in the door of the guest room they were sharing. Her smile faded as she noticed the worry which was reflected by his handsome facial features.

"What is wrong?" she asked, remaining on the same spot.

"Nothing," he replied quietly.

"Don't lie to me, Turalyon. I know that you want to say something, so tell me what is bothering you."

The human paladin sighed. "To be honest, I'm worried about you."

Alleria tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. "Worried about me? Why?"

He approached her slowly. "Well, I'm worried because...," he stopped speaking, frowning as he considered what to say. "I've noticed that you have changed."

"Changed? What do you mean?"

The blonde man took a deep breath. "You are not yourself, you become a different person since your brother's death. You are acting recklessly whenever you hunt our enemies. Normally, you would have preferred safer ways to prevail against our enemies. But now, you don't mind losing a few more people as long as you achieve whatever goal you have put in your mind. You risk the lives of your rangers. Instead of showing patience and wait for the right moment, you storm through the enemy lines and slaughter everyone who crosses you. You didn't spare any orc or troll during the last few skirmishes. You took no prisoners and killed even those who had dropped their weapons and surrendered."

"What's wrong with that?" Alleria asked and gave him an irritated look. "We are at war and this swine would have escaped and reached the next base of the orcs if we wouldn't have caught him at the last moment. I did what was necessary to catch him."

"You lost nearly fifty rangers because of your impatience. You would have only lost half of them if you would have planned everything better," Turalyon said, stopping right in front of his lover. Irritation was reflected by her eyes as she stared at him. Her usual soft facial features were distorted in anger and annoyance.

"He would have escaped. How many times do I have to tell you this? We killed far more men than they did. I don't understand why you are complaining about my strategy. I'm much older than you and have fought in far more battles than you. I know what I'm doing. My advisors have agreed with every step of my plan."

Turalyon exhaled loudly. "Your advisors agreed because they were afraid of you. They were afraid you would chase Xenarion alone."

Alleria's eye lid's fluttered as she heard the name of the man who left her brother to die. "Do not ever say that name again. This bastard doesn't deserve to have a name. He only deserves to die a slow and painful death after Sylvanas, Vereesa and I riddled him with arrows."

The young paladin touched his forehead, shaking his head as she closed his eyes. He opened them again, looking back at his lover whose facial expression hadn't changed at all. She had her arms crossed in front of her chest, her blue eyes scrutinized him closely.

"You beat him to a bloody mess. His face... It won't be easy for anyone to recognize him for a while..."

"He deserved it. What do you expect from me? That I feel pity for him? He murdered my brother!" she hissed.

"Well, the orcs were the ones who mortally wounded him. He only left him to die."

"There is no difference. He murdered him. Stop discussing with me, Turalyon. You won't win against me," she hissed.

"Nevertheless, it is no reason to disfigure his face. You have no right to punish him. Your king and the judges of your kingdom are allowed to administer punishments. It's not your job to punish him. I thought you were a better person and knew better than taking the law in your own hands. But it seems I have been mistaken," he replied, his voice reflected disappointment.

"Sylvanas would have done the same with him. My mother wouldn't have reacted differently if she would have caught him."

"That doesn't excuse your behaviour. Only because others do the same doesn't mean it's right. Others murder people as well and that doesn't mean that murder is allowed."

Alleria's expression didn't change. "I understand your point, my love. Nevertheless, he deserved everything I did to him and my rangers share my opinion."

"Your rangers are loyal to you, that means nothing. They would follow you to the end of the world and agreed with everything you would say."

"Now you are exaggerating."

"Okay, maybe they won't follow you blindly but they would support you no matter what you have put in your head."

Alleria didn't say anything in return, she just stared at Turalyon who did his best to convince her that what she had done was not right. But Alleria didn't change her mind. She still believed she did nothing wrong.

"Hurting him won't bring your brother back," he said eventually.

Alleria's eyelids fluttered. "You are right, I can't bring him back. I can only accept his death and hurting that swine is a good start to leave everything behind me," she replied and started to move. She walked towards the exit of the room but the paladin stepped in her way. He signalized her that he won't move away but she didn't care. She walked around him and reached the exit within a few seconds.

He turned around, looking at her. "What are you going to do?"

Alleria shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know yet. Maybe I interrogate him. Maybe I punch him over and over again or maybe I cut his balls off. His wife left him so he won't need them anyway. Who knows."

"You can't be serious," exclaimed Turalyon but Alleria had already left the room and slammed the door behind her so she couldn't hear him.

* * *

_Dear Sylvanas,_

_I want to make this quick because I don't want to keep you in suspense. I managed to catch the swine who betrayed our family. I already made him pay for what he has done. Of course, it's not enough. That bastard deserves to suffer. I'll bring him to you so you can take your anger out on him before you send him to Silvermoon City where he will be thrown in a dirty cell. Hopefully, in the darkest and most disgusting cell of the prison._

_Anyways, I will assist you as soon as you return to the front._

_Your dear sister Alleria._

Sylvanas glanced at the letter once again, handing it over to her father who was sitting opposite to her. He hadn't said a word yet nor had he looked up from the plate he had barely touched. Her father barely looked at her as he took the letter out of her hands. He put it next to his plate and started to read it silently. Then he handed it back to Sylvanas without even commenting on it.

Sylvanas regarded him curiously, a frown was visible on her forehead. "Father?" she asked eventually, hoping she could get his attention. Her father slowly lifted his head, his gaze fell on his worried daughter. He didn't say anything, he just gave her a questioning look.

Sylvanas regarded him closely. His face was paler than usual, he had dark circles under his eyes and his hair was messy and looked greasy. He hadn't paid attention to his looks since Lirath's death. Normally, he shaved his beard but he hadn't done that for weeks so a neglected beard covered his chin and cheeks. But his appearance was not the only thing on him which had changed, and disturbed Sylvanas at this very disgusting smell of strong alcohol stung in her nose. She didn't want to know how many bottles and glasses he had emptied on the previous day.

"Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" he asked in return, lowering his gaze.

"Not really that's why I am here. I want to comfort you and help you as best as I can." Sylvanas put a hand on her father's hand, caressing its back softly. Her comforting smile didn't reach his eyes.

"I don't think that there is anything you can do for me."

Sylvanas frowned and sighed. "Are you sure?"

"I don't think your words can fill the hole in me. I feel empty, weak and guilty since... you know since when..."

"Guilty?" asked Sylvanas, raising an eyebrow. "You are not responsible for what happened. Xenarion Sunsinger betrayed us and the orcs attacked the village and our house. There is nothing you did wrong."

"I was not there when the attack happened," he muttered. "I was on a business trip to Silvermoon City... If only I would have been there to defend our family... Maybe he wouldn't have died.

Sylvanas noticed that he refused to say her brother's name for a reason. She had many assumptions. The most logical explanation was that was too hard for him to say his because he would start thinking about him and feeling guilty whenever he would say his name **.**

"You don't have to feel guilty, father. You wouldn't have changed anything. You wouldn't have been able to save him."

"You can't know that!" he interrupted, sounding much louder than he had intended to.

Sylvanas put her hand on his shoulder, giving him a warm smile as he looked at her face. "You are not a fighter, father. You have no clue how to use weapons. You would have been killed as well if you would have been there. We already lost seven members of our family so I'm glad that you weren't there when it happened. Mother barely survived because Lirath and Zendarin rescued her, otherwise... You know what the orcs would have done to her."

Zalien's voice reflected hatred. "They would have violated her and defiled her...," his voice broke didn't want to imagine what unspeakable things these green creatures would have done to his wife.

"They didn't harm her because of Lirath and Zendarin. They are heroes. Lirath sacrificed his life for our mother and for our people. He will always be remembered as a hero. The orcs and trolls will be forgotten. Nobody will remember them as soon as we are done with them."

"I hope you are right," her father muttered. "But that doesn't make it better...," he said so quietly that even Sylvanas couldn't understand it.

"I will return to the front tomorrow. Can you do me a favour?" asked Sylvanas, staring into his eyes.

"Sure," he replied shortly.

"Can you look after mother while I'm away? I thought she was getting better, but it seems she's not quite over Lirath's death yet. I wish I could be there for her until she would come to terms with his death, but sadly I can't do that. I have to return to the front and assist our people."

"I can't promise you anything but I give my best," he replied.

Sylvanas gave him a small smile. "You only have to be near her, especially during the night. She has nightmares. Two days ago, she came to my room, wearing nothing but her birthday suit, and crawled under my blanket. She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me. It was impossible to get out of her embrace without waking her up or making her sad. I showed patience and didn't move until she let me go. No one else would be at home when I depart tomorrow. I don't mind you drinking, I just want that you stay home while you drink so she has someone where she can find comfort **.** Not to mention that she needs someone she can cuddle with and on which shoulder she can sob her heart out whenever she has a nightmare."

Zalien nodded his head. "I will be there for her. She is my wife. I have to help her."

"I think it's a good opportunity for you two to get over Lirath's death. Mourning together is better than mourning alone. I wish I could help you but I don't have the time for that. My presence is required at the front."

"I will be there for your mother. Promised."

Sylvanas smiled at him. "Thank you, father."

"Take care of yourself," he said as he got up and stretched out his arms, intending to hug her. Sylvanas got up as well and walked around the table, letting herself be drawn in his embrace. She wrapped her arms around his upper body, so did he. They caressed each other's backs as they hugged longer than necessary. They pulled away eventually, smiling at each other.

"I will look after mother for the rest of the day if you don't mind," Sylvanas said.

"Do that, I will join you later."

Sylvanas nodded to him. She looked at him for a short moment before she turned around and walked out of the room.

* * *

"Patrolling is so boring," someone complained. Kelrian turned his head, looking at the person who had said that. The woman with the turquoise coloured hair came closer to him and sat down next to him, giving him a bowl filled with soup. Kelrian thanked her, looking into the bowl to find out what the soup consisted spotted small pieces of potatoes and meat. He also saw beans, peas and other vegetables which were often used for soups.

"Be careful, the soup is still pretty hot," said Elena.

Kelrian gave her a thankful nod and started blowing in the hope the soup would cool down quickly. Elena did the same but unlike her companion, her eyes rested on him while his eyes rested on the soup. He didn't notice that she was staring at him because he was too busy with his soup. He was so hungry that all he could think about was cooling the soup so that he could eat it as soon as , he didn't notice that Elena's hand rested on his upper thigh. She caressed it tenderly, snuggling up to him.

She removed her hand as soon as Kelrian started eating and became aware of his surroundings again. He noticed that she was sitting right next to him, their bodies touching slightly. Elena couldn't know that he was already taken so she tried to get closer to him because she was in love with him for a few years.

Normally, he would have told her to keep a little distance to him but it was very cold and the blankets around their bodies and the fire in front of them weren't helping at all, so he allowed her to cuddle up to him to warm herself. He was fine with that as long as she wouldn't put her head on his shoulder. She did that at this very moment. Nevertheless, he didn't say anything for a reason he couldn't explain to himself. He just looked into his bowl as he slurped the soup.

"I can't believe that this human is allowed to fight at the front with our best rangers while I stay behind the lines and walk the entire day," complained Elena. "I would rather kill our enemies and conquer their villages and bases. I want to make the trolls pay for what they have done to our people."

"The Ranger-Generals think he has great talent that's why he is allowed to fight at the front," Kelrian explained.

"I've seen him, he is not that great as the Ranger-General think. At least not when it comes to fighting. Maybe he is good at something else that's useful for the Ranger-General," replied Elena, putting her empty bowl on the ground.

The young man turned his head, raising an eyebrow as he looked at his friend. "What do you mean?"

Elena hesitated, giving him an irritated look.

"What?" he asked, raising the other brow as well.

Her voice reflected irritation. "You're not trying to tell me you haven't heard the rumours, are you?

Kelrian tilted his head. "Which rumours?"

Elena scratched her forehead with her fingernails. "The rumours about the Ranger-General and that _human_."

Kelrian didn't respond to her.

"I've heard that they are pretty close and get along very well. She allowed him to join her regiment and even her elite team. No human has ever joined us before. That's strange, isn't it?"

Kelrian made a thoughtful face. "He is good at what he is doing. I've seen him fight. To be honest, he is better than most of the rangers I've seen so it doesn't surprise me that he joined the team where I'm also in."

Elena frowned. "What about them being close?"

"I don't see a reason why the Ranger-General is not allowed to have friends. I get along with Nathanos too. Some say we are close friends. Does that mean he and I are in a relationship?"

"I hope not. But you and Nathanos are not as close as he and our general," mentioned Elena.

Kelrian muttered something unintelligible, putting his empty bowl aside.

"They're just rumours after all but rumours never come out of nowhere," Elena said.

Kelrian didn't respond to her, he just stared into the flames. He had never thought about the possibility that Sylvanas would look for another man. He knew her pretty well, so he knew she was not the person who would cheat on her partner. She was a loyal person and she wasn't interested in humans. He hoped that at least. He had never asked Sylvanas if she found humans or other races attractive. He knew that Alleria liked humans and Lirath had liked them too but that didn't mean that Sylvanas also liked them.

It may be true that Sylvanas and Nathanos get along very well but that didn't mean anything. He trusted her and he knew he didn't need to be afraid that Sylvanas would replace him with another man or with a woman. She loved him so did he. Nevertheless, he was jealous, but just a little. He couldn't explain to himself why he felt that way. He decided to ignore the feeling as best as he could.

"I don't really mind if she would have something with him," he lied. "It's her love life and not mine. We can't forbid her to meet whoever she wants. If she wants to be together with a human than she can do that. Her sister is also in love with a human. It's not forbidden to love a human," he explained quietly.

"You don't seem to be happy about these rumours," she mentioned.

"You are imagining this. I don't really mind," he replied. Elena frowned but she didn't say anything in return. She just stared at him and didn't show him that she didn't believe him. She rubbed his right upper thigh softly, regarding him curiously. He was so lost in thoughts so he didn't notice that she was doing that nor did he notice that she put her head on his shoulder. He just stared into the flames and thought about everything Elena had said.

"Have you met Zetai recently?" asked Elena eventually.

Kelrian turned his head to look at her. "No, I haven't. Why do you ask?"

"I'm not asking for any particular reason. I'm just curious, you know. You told me how he had behaved that night when you and the Ranger-General's team attacked the first troll base."

"To answer your question, I didn't speak to him since that night. I saw him every day because we are in the same team but he kept distance to me and the others. And then the attacks on Windrunner Village and Windrunner Spire happened. We reconquered the spire and the village and drove out all invaders. The Ranger-General remained in her home and I was ordered to join your team and do these patrols every day while Zetai and the rest of our team followed Verena. I didn't have the chance to speak to him but I will do that as soon as I can," he told.

Elena patted his shoulder, giving him a comforting smile. "Everything will be alright, Kel. The Ranger-General returns to the front tomorrow and we will go with her. That means we don't have to go on these boring patrols for a while. We have to walk for twelve hours every day. We do the same routes every day. Every single day. There's nothing more boring than patrolling."

"It's boring but it's necessary. We wouldn't have managed to catch the last remaining groups of orcs if we and the other groups wouldn't have walked through the area every single what would happen if these two groups of ten orcs would have reached a village before we would have caught them. Innocent civilians would have died. We are responsible for the safety of our people. Do not forget that."

"I don't forget our duties, Kel. I know how important our work is. But I don't want to go on patrols. Someone else shall do it while we join our forces on the front. I want to kill more of these green bastards."

An amused smile appeared on Kelrian's lips. "Haven't you killed thirty-nine trolls within the first weeks? Only Zetai and the Ranger-General had a few more than you."

"I did but thirty-nine are not enough. How many did you kill?"

"I only managed to kill twenty-five trolls," he responded. He was not ashamed and he signalized her that.

Elena raised an eyebrow, giving him a mocking grin. "Only twenty-five? That means even Nathanos killed more than you. He killed thirty if I remember correctly."

"Hey, it's not a contest. You dealt with their raiders and berserkers while I faced lots of their shamans which were a lot harder to kill than the non-magic users."

"You always have an excuse, don't you?" she mocked.

"Quite funny," he muttered, ignoring the provocative look on her face.

"Jokes aside, I think you did a very good job at slaying these bastards," she complimented. Kelrian was not sure if he was just imagining this but he had the impression that there was a flirty tone in her voice. He knew that Elena was interested in him but he had told her years ago that he was in a relationship. Maybe Elena had forgotten that. Maybe she didn't believe that anymore because no one had ever seen his girlfriend.

His friends knew that he was in a relationship but none of them knew with who. Kelrian hadn't told any of his friends that he was in a relationship with the most beautiful woman of Quel'Thalas. He would only get unwanted attention if he would do that, not to mention that lots of Sylvanas ' admirers would be after him and cause unnecessary trouble.

"Thank you," he responded, giving her a small smile.

"Have you heard the recent rumours?"

"I don't want to hear them if they are about Nathanos and the Ranger-General," he said.

"Don't worry, they are not about them."

"Good, then you can tell me what you have heard."

"It's not confirmed yet but I have heard that Ranger-Captain Alleria Windrunner has captured your father and almost beat him to death."

Kelrian's lips formed a small smile. "I hope these rumours are true. My father deserves it, not only because he is a violent and manipulative asshole but also because he didn't help the Ranger-General's brother. He left him to die. I can't believe that I've looked up to that bastard when I was younger. I hope he will receive his just punishment."

"Have you met your older siblings yet?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I don't want to, to be honest. I don't know if they have changed their minds in the meantime, if they still stand by him or if they have recognized him as the monster he really is. I don't really care about them anymore, to be honest."

"You have never told me about them," Elena mentioned.

"There is nothing noteworthy about them. Sydori is a bitch who changes her partners more often than her underwear. She screws everything that moves. Males, females, humans, elven... Basically, anyone she finds attractive. And Seitor... Well, he is a typical bully who makes fun of everyone who is weaker than him. He is a homophobic asshole and a racist as well, so it really surprises me that he gets along with Sydori. The two are like best friends,"he explained. "Despite his homophobia, he doesn't care that she also shares her bed with women and humans. That's a contradiction but I don't really care."

Elena didn't respond to him. She made a thoughtful face as she stared at him.

"You never told me about your family," he said eventually, giving her an interested look, signalizing her that he wanted to hear more.

Elena exhaled. "My father died when I was young. My mother married someone else years later... Her new husband and I didn't get along very well. That's why I moved out as soon as I could. I left my village and moved into a communal residence where I met Elonis. She and I were together for a few years but I noticed that I'm not really into women so we broke up but we remained friends just like the Ranger-General and Captain Verena. The only difference is that Elonis doesn't hope I will change my mind one day and want her back. Anyways, we became best friends and attended the examination together."

"I'm sorry to hear that about your father," Kelrian said quietly, expressing his sympathy for her.

"I don't remember him at all. At least, I still have my mother. I visit her from time to time and spend time with her and my older brother. I came to his wedding half a year ago. His husband is a very smart and funny guy. We get along very well," she told.

"What did your mother say as you told her that you want to become a ranger? Is she worried about you? Is she worried that something might happen to you during the current war?"

Soft laughter escaped Elena's lips. She put a strand of her turquoise hair behind her left ear. "I think all parents are worried about their children, especially if they serve the military. My mother is no exception. She loves me and she wants nothing more than my safety and my welfare. But she understands that I have to do this. She understands that I have to help to defend our people and our kingdom."

"Sounds like my mother, except that it was not easy to convince her that I have to join the other rangers at the front."

"Have you seen her since the start of the war?"

"Only two or three times when Verena withdrew me from the front and assigned me to your is still worried about me, of course. But my visits help her. She will endure the time without me. My little siblings are there for her and spent time most of their free time with her.

Elena was about to say something when the leader of her group called her name.

"It seems that our break is over. Let's return to the others and get the last three hours over with," said Kelrian as he got up. Elena got up as well, smiling at him as she stared into his eyes. He returned her stare for a few moments, then he intended to turn around and walk away but Elena was faster and did something he didn't expect. She leaned in and pecked on his lips, pulling away immediately.

Kelrian's face reflected surprise. "What was that?" he asked and frowned.

"Nothing," she responded as she turned around and walked to her group. "I've wanted to kiss you for a long time," she whispered when she got out of his hearing range.

Kelrian sighed, extinguishing the flames before he followed her.


	35. Savour the moment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit shorter than the others but it contains an explicit scene as compensation. Enjoy it. There might be more of such scenes in the future.

Verena looked at the map in front of her, her eyes glanced at the figures which stood on certain spots on the map. There was a figure which resembled Zul'jin and stood on the spot where Zul'Aman was. The city was surrounded by three figures. A high elf, a human and a dwarf. Verena rubbed her chin thoughtfully, regarding the map once again before she looked at the person opposite to her.

"What do you think? Shall we wait for a few days or attack tomorrow?" she asked Alleria who also had a thoughtful look on her face. Alleria walked around the table and stopped next to Verena.

"Sylvanas is on the way to our base. Maybe she has already arrived, maybe she needs a day or two. Depends on whether she travels by horse or has asked a mage to create a portal for her. It's not unlikely that she asked Zendarin to create a portal. I think it's better that we wait for her and discuss the plan with her. Maybe she has a better idea or we might have failed to notice something. It's better that we wait for her, especially because her presence boosts the morale of our soldiers," explained Alleria.

"You are right. I'm pretty confident about my battle plan. Nevertheless, it doesn't hurt to ask Sylvanas what she thinks about it."

"Glad we cleared that up."

"What are we doing in the meantime? Besides preparing our army for the upcoming siege on Zul'Aman."

The corners of Alleria's lips formed a smile. "I may know something we could do."

Verena gave her a curious look. "What would that be?"

Alleria didn't respond to her verbally. Her smile became wider as she made a step forward, stopping right in front of the slightly smaller woman. She put her hand under her chin, lifted it up and pressed her thumb against Verena's bottom lip. She stared into the widened eyes of the other woman, leaning in slowly. She stopped at the last moment as she heard someone clearing her throat.

Alleria drew her hand back, turning around to look at the person who had interrupted them.

"Am I interrupting something?" Sylvanas asked as she walked over to the table. Kelrian accompanied her and stopped next to her. Verena also glanced at the newcomers, hiding the jealousy, she felt when she saw Sylvanas and Kelrian standing close to another, as best as she could. Neither Sylvanas or Kelrian noticed anything.

"Does Turalyon know about that?" Sylvanas asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know what you are talking about," responded Alleria, stepping away from Verena. She walked over to her sister and pulled her into a tight hug. She kissed her forehead as she pulled away, then she greeted Kelrian with a handshake.

"I missed you, dear sister."

"I missed you too," replied Sylvanas. She regarded her older sister for a few moments then she walked over to hugged and put friendly kisses on each other's stepped to Kelrian and gave him her hand which he shook without hesitation.

"I'm glad you are feeling well again, my dear," said Verena, smiling at Sylvanas.

"Kelrian really helped me coping with Lirath's death. His loss still affects me but I can handle it now. I have stayed at home for way too long. I need to do something useful. Like leading our people to victory."

"Then you'll be pleased to know I've already worked out a battle plan. I just want to know if it's okay for you or if you have a different tactic. I hope you don't mind that I ask for your advice," said Verena.

Sylvanas smiled at her. "I don't mind. Tell me what you have planned."

"Zul'Aman is surrounded by mountains which means we can only enter the fortress by breaking through the gate. We will use catapults and battering rams to break through the wall or the gate. Dragonhawk riders, gryphon riders and our archers will attack the trolls on the wall so they can't attack our siege engines. Once we are in, we will fight our way through the fortress until we come to Zul'jin and end his miserable life. Well, taking him captive is also an option. Just saying."

"Sounds like a good plan to me. You are better at making plans than you think," praised Sylvanas.

"Really?"

The Ranger-General nodded her head. "Really."

"So, we can execute it like that? **"**

Sylvanas smiled. "We can and we will in two days."

Verena's lips formed a happy smile, her face reflected excitement.

"Is there anything else we have to talk about?" asked Sylvanas.

"Not really," responded Alleria.

Sylvanas looked at her sister. "Good, can I talk to you in private then?"

Alleria raised an eyebrow and gave her sister a curious look. "Sure."

Verena walked over to Kelrian. "Come, Kel. We will wait outside then." Kelrian nodded to her and followed her out of the room. Sylvanas looked after him until he left the room, then she turned around to look at her sister who still looked at her curiously. "So, what do you want to talk about?" asked Alleria.

"Did Verena tried to kiss you? Or did you try to kiss her?"

"Why do you want to know that?"

"I'm just curious because she must know that you and Turalyon are a thing."

Soft laughter escaped the older woman's lips. "A relationship never stopped Verena from flirting with the person who interests her. She has always tried to lure me into her bed but she never succeeded."

"I hope that it stays that way."

Alleria raised an eyebrow, a mocking grin appeared on her lips. "Why? You are not jealous, aren't you?"

Amused laughter escaped Sylvanas' lips. "Jealous? Why should I? Do you think that I'm jealous that Verena flirts with you instead of me? I don't really mind. Shall she grope you instead of me! I'm fine with that."

"So, you give me your blessing?" joked Alleria.

"Blessing? What do you mean? You are not planning on cheating on Turalyon, aren't you?"

"If so, why do you care?"

Sylvanas' face reflected irritation. "Why shouldn't I? I am your sister and I care about you. Your happiness is very important to me."

"So why are you against Verena and me if you care about my happiness?"

"Because you won't be happy with Verena. At least not in the long run."

"How can you know?"

"You are not interested in girls and you love Turalyon. What is wrong with you? You are acting strangely."

Alleria crossed her arms in front of her chest. "How do you know that I'm not bisexual as you are?"

"I'm not bisexual."

Alleria laughed.

"What?" asked Sylvanas. She was irritated by her sister's behaviour.

"You slept with two women and you had a relationship with one of them which lasted over ten years. If you are not bi, then the sky is red and the sun shines at night."

"Verena was just a phase."

"A phase? Over ten years? Are you even listening to yourself?"

Sylvanas frowned, confusion was reflected by her face. "I didn't want to talk to you privately to discuss my sexuality. I'm pretty sure in which way I swing but I'm not sure about yours."

Sylvanas took a deep breath. "Honey, it's not that I wouldn't want you to come together with Verena. It's just... I think you do a terrible mistake if you cheat on Turalyon. He will never forgive you. He might break up with you and then what? What would you tell your son? Or our parents?" Sylvanas made a short pause, considering what to say next.

"I just want to prevent that you do something you will regret later. You know better than letting your emotions speak and act for you. You and I know you will come to me weeks or months later and cry on my shoulder while you insult yourself for how stupid you have been. I don't want you to make a mistake. Verena has a girlfriend but that wouldn't stop her. She would only use you to make me jealous because she still hopes she can get me one day. She loves me. I am her goal, not you," Sylvanas paused again.

"You would be nothing more than a good fuck, maybe an affair but nothing more. She will drop you as soon as she has a chance to get me. I'm not begrudging you. I just want the best for you. You won't be happy with Verena, at least not in the long run. But Turalyon makes you happy."

Alleria was silent as she thought about what her sister had said. She covered her face with her hands as soon as she realized that she could have ruined everything if Sylvanas wouldn't have prevented the kiss with Verena and everything which would have followed. Who knows what would have happened if her little sister wouldn't have stopped her. She started to sob as she realized how stupid she had been.

Sylvanas' face reflected worry as she stepped to her sister and wrapped her arms around her body, hugging her tightly. She pulled down her sister's hood and ran her fingers through her hair, speaking comforting words to her.

"I don't know what is wrong with me," Alleria cried. "I'm acting strangely since the past weeks but I can't do anything about it. Something is wrong with me but I don't know what it is and how to fix it. I was about to ruin my relationship because I was mad at Turalyon for no reason. He just tried to help me and I pushed him away. What is wrong with me?"

"It's okay, sister. The world also turned upside down for me when Lirath died. It's okay to be confused. You just have to be careful that you don't do anything you will regret later. But I'm here for you. I will support you wherever I can and you can come to me whenever you want to talk to me about something," whispered Sylvanas in her sister's ear.

Alleria didn't say anything in return. She sobbed for a while but Sylvanas managed to comfort her. The older elf pulled away and dried her eyes with the handkerchief Sylvanas had given her. She looked at her sister who gave her a comforting look, the corners of her lips formed a small smile.

Sylvanas wrapped her arm around Alleria's waist. "Let's get to my room and drink something. I think you need it. Don't worry, I will make sure you won't drink too much, so you won't make the mistake of visiting Verena and doing _things_ with her. We will talk about everything once we are in my room."

Alleria nodded to her and silently took her hand. She intertwined their fingers and gave Sylvanas the signal to lead the way. The younger woman gave her a small smile, regarding her for a few moments before she guided her to the exit and left the room with her.

* * *

"Do you really think she does that on purpose?" Kelrian asked as he turned his head to look at her. Sylvanas picked up the two glasses from the tray and brought them to the small table her lover was sitting at.

She handed one to him while she put the other in front of her as she sat down. "I have no proofs at all but I know my best friend very well. It's not unlikely that she put you in Elena's group when she heard that I'm doing better. Just like I do, you know that she still longs after me. She wants me. Maybe she hopes that you and Elena...," Sylvanas paused. Her heart hurt at the mere thought of Kelrian choosing someone else over her. She banished those thoughts and continued to tell what she was thinking. "Maybe she hopes that you and Elena come together somehow... Her goal is to come together with me. So..."

"Do you really think she would sabotage us to get what she wants? That's Verena, your best friend, we are talking about. Didn't you tell me that she just wants your happiness and that she would accept anyone as long as you are happy? I also thought she had a girlfriend."

"That wouldn't stop her, to be honest. She would dump any woman if she could get me."

Kelrian frowned, taking a sip of wine from his glass. He enjoyed the delicious taste of the red liquid in his mouth before he swallowed it. "Have you tried to talk to her about that?"

Sylvanas shook her head. "Not really and I don't want to quarrel with her about that. At least not before the siege. I have to rely on her when we go to battle together tomorrow. I don't want that there is bad blood between us, not before an important battle."

"I understand you," he replied, taking another sip. "But you will talk to her one day, right?"

"I will but not until we get Zul'jin dead or alive," she told. "Lirath's funeral will be held as soon as the trolls are defeated. Then we will help the human against the orcs."

"Shall I join you then? I didn't know your brother at all but I want to be there for you and support you," he offered, giving her a comforting look.

A thankful smile appeared on Sylvanas' lips. "I will think about it. You must know that not only my family will be there. Others will join us too. Friends of Lirath and many of my captains and lieutenants. You won't be able to hold me and I won't be able to cry on your shoulder because people will find out about us if we do so."

"What if we wait until everyone else has left? Then we can go to your family's crypt where I can hold and comfort you while no one watches."

"Sounds like a plan."

They were silent for a few moments, staring at each other while they emptied their glasses. Sylvanas refilled their glasses, emptying half of hers within a minute.

Kelrian broke the pleasant silence after a while. "I have to admit that I'm nervous about the upcoming siege on Zul'Aman."

Sylvanas leaned forward, giving him a comforting look. "It's okay to be nervous. I was nervous as well when I joined my first real battle. The battles you attended so far are only skirmishes compared to what is awaiting us. Zul'Aman accommodates more than one thousand trolls. Most of them are fighters. The battle will be bloody and we will lose a lot of soldiers. But we have to conquer Zul'Aman and capture Zul'jin if we want to defeat the trolls once and forever. I can't promise that everything will be alright, I can only hope for the best outcome. Normally it would suggest that you stay close to me but I think it's best if you stay as far away from me as possible. First, because we might distract each other and also because lots of trolls will try to kill me so it's better if you go with Verena and her group."

Kelrian raised his eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"

"I'm not sure about anything, to be honest. I don't want to you to be in danger, on the other hand, I need my best rangers at my side... I will think about it and tell you tomorrow if you will go with my group or with Verena's. Maybe I even put you in Alleria's or Vereesa's group. In the end, we will meet in front of Zul'jin's keep and storm it together. It's not that we won't see each other."

Kelrian leaned over and put a hand on her face. He caressed her cheek, smiling at her. "I can understand why you are afraid but you don't have to. I can take care of myself."

"My brother could take care of himself too. He may have been very young but he was a very good fighter even though he was not even a recruit. My sisters and I have trained him. Nevertheless, he died. Even the best can fall. The group of your mother belonged to one of the best groups we had but all of them except your mother died because they were ambushed. Everyone can die. Even I can die. Our people may regard me as a goddess but I'm not a goddess. I'm mortal. I can bleed and I can die just like everyone else. That's why I'm so worried about you. I'm afraid of losing you. I already lost my brother. I don't want to lose you too." Her voice was low and sounded very sad. Her gaze rested on her feet.

She felt a hand under her chin which lifted it up with ease. She had no other choice than to look at the handsome face of her lover whose lips formed a comforting smile. She stared into his sky-blue eyes, feeling her mood brighten up as she held his gaze. "We have to think positively. We won't win if we only imagine all the bad things which could happen. We have to believe in ourselves and hope for the best. Everything will be alright. I promise."

He leaned in and kissed her. She returned the kiss, putting her hand on the back of his head. She ran her fingers through his soft blond hair, biting his bottom lip softly. He parted his lips, allowing her to sneak her tongue in. Her tongue brushed past his and explored every corner of his mouth. Kelrian's tongue entered her mouth eventually, mimicking her actions.

Feeling his tongue in her mouth and his lips on hers made her forget everything that worried her. All the bad thoughts were banished out of her head. The only thing she could think of was Kelrian. The man she loved with all her heart. He was the one who gave her the strength to get through everything. He had helped her out of her deep depression phase. He had comforted her, convinced her that Lirath's death was not her fault and reminded her that her people needed her. Without him, she would still be in her room and do nothing every day except for looking into the distance.

The two love-birds pulled away eventually, breathing heavily as they stared in each other's eyes. Kelrian noticed the lust in her eyes and Sylvanas didn't miss that he wanted her as badly as she wanted him.

"We don't know what will happen tomorrow. The next day could be our last day on this world so we should make the best out of the moment," she said, licking her lips.

"You are right, my love," he responded. Sylvanas got up and pushed the table aside. She signalized him to get up which he did without hesitation. She unbuttoned his trousers while she kissed him a couple of times. She sneaked her hand in his pants, smiling as she felt his big thing becoming stiffer and stiffer under her touch. She didn't stop kissing him, pressing her breasts against his chest as she pulled his manhood out of his pants. She started to stroke it with one hand, the other hand toyed with his hair.

He ran his fingers through her gorgeous hair, moaning into the kiss. Sylvanas smiled into the kiss, letting her tongue brush against his for a couple more times before she broke the kiss. She stared into his eyes, a cheeky smile appeared on her lips. Before he could do anything, she bent down until her head was on the same height as his large manhood.

"I missed that big thing," she admitted without blushing or showing any sign of shame. She rubbed her face against it before she took it in her mouth, letting her tongue lick over its tip. She took as much as possible of his manhood in her mouth. It was so large that not every inch fitted in her mouth.

She was very good at pleasuring him orally. She was so good with her tongue that she made him cum within a few minutes. She swallowed it, gave his dick a few strokes before she got up and kissed him, making him taste himself. It tasted weird for him but he didn't complain.

He didn't complain either as she pushed him back on his chair. She stripped for him, getting rid of all of her clothes. She undressed him as well, then her hands started to caress his toned stomach muscles. She sat down on his lap and kissed him, allowing him to put his hands on her breasts and knead them. She moaned into the kiss and didn't stop him from kneading them roughly, pinching her nipples and twisting them a little. She ran her fingers through his hair as he sucked on her boobs. She stroked his manhood with her other hand, causing that quiet moans escaped his lips.

After a while, she decided she had enough foreplay so she took his manhood and inserted it in her sex. It stretched her inner walls and made her feel really good. The effect increased when he started to push his hips up and down, hitting a certain spot over and over again. Her walls were penetrated, her g-spot go hit over and over again. He made her feel better than everyone else before him and she was a better lover than all the girlfriends Kelrian ever had.

Their lovemaking was passionate and steamy, their sweaty bodies were pressed against each other all the time. His hands rested on her butt, hers stroked his back and even scratched it from time to time. She left love bites on his neck, not caring that someone would see them in the next few days. She allowed him to do the same.

Cries of pleasure, moans and other noises, which expressed that they were enjoying their lovemaking, were hearable. They were having a good time but it didn't end when Kelrian reached his climax and came inside her.

Sylvanas had once admitted to him that she had never done anal before. At this moment, she told him that she didn't want to end as an anal virgin if she would die the next day so she offered him to make love to her butt hole. She had never offered it to anyone else because she had been insecure if they were the right ones. But she was not insecure about Kelrian. She knew he was the right one.

He didn't say no to her offering, preparing her butt hole with his fingers until it was wide enough for his massive thing. The first few minutes were painful but the longer his dick remained in her tight ass, the more she got used to it. The pain vanished and was replaced by pleasure. Their lovemaking lasted for another hour until Kelrian climaxed and filled up her ass.

They wrapped their arms around the other, breathing heavily as they cuddled. They didn't say anything but they stared into each other's eyes as they relaxed and enjoyed the presence of the other.

An hour later, Kelrian laid in the bed. He was so exhausted from their love-making that he had fallen asleep faster than Sylvanas had expected. She, on the other hand, was awake and sat on the edge of the bed. She was still naked as she searched through her bag for a certain tin. She pulled the tin out, her eyes widened when she realized it was empty.

She couldn't remember that she had used the last birth control pill. She looked for another tin of pink pills but she didn't find it. She found it strange. She always had two tins in her bag. But one was missing and one was empty for some reason. Did Alleria take them? Or Vereesa? Or her mother?

She had no clue who had taken them without telling her. She could only hope that this day was one of her safe didn't want to get pregnant in the middle of a war. She knew she had to get a pill from someone. She had to seek out her sisters. Luckily for her, the guest rooms they were resting in were on the same level as her room. She stood up from the bed and got dressed quickly. She made sure her hair was perfect before she left the room and closed the door behind her.


	36. Zul'Aman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a lot longer than all the other chapters so far. Enjoy it.

"So, this is Zul'Aman, the largest fortress of the Amani trolls?" asked Nathanos as his green eyes scrutinized it.

Sylvanas regarded it with suspicion but also with respect. "Yes, it is. We will defeat the trolls if we conquer it and capture Zul'jin."

"It's larger than I've expected. The troll bases we have conquered so far are nothing compared to it. Zul'Aman's walls are a lot thicker and larger. I bet it's at least ten times larger than the largest troll base we have conquered so far."

"Just wait until you get in there. Thousands of trolls are awaiting us," responded Verena as she stepped next to Sylvanas. Kelrian joined her and also regarded the massive fortress.

"It won't be easy to break through that massive gate," commented Alleria.

"It won't be easy but we have to if we want to defeat the trolls. I hope the humans manage to hold the orcs back this time. I don't want to get flanked by them from behind," said Sylvanas. She turned to her younger sister, giving her a questioning look. "Is our army ready?"

Vereesa nodded her head. "The men are ready so are the siege engines. The catapults, ballistae and glaive throwers are standing on the right spots and are manned. Enough soldiers are ready to push the battering ram to the gate. The dragonhawk riders, gryphon raiders, mages and archers are ready to kill the trolls on the walls. Basically, everyone is ready."

"Alright, inform everyone. We will attack in thirty minutes."

"As you wish," responded Vereesa. She looked at her role model one last time before she turned around and hurried away.

"I'm going with her," spoke Verena and followed the youngest member of the Windrunner sisters.

Sylvanas looked at Nathanos and Kelrian as soon as her younger sister and Verena were out of her sight. "This is your first battle where siege engines are needed. More than one thousand trolls await us in Zul'Aman. The battle will be bloody and we will lose lots of soldiers but that's unavoidable. We have to win this battle to weaken the Horde. Then we can help the humans with the orcs and defeat them as well. Are you ready? Remember that it's okay to be nervous."

She noticed the nervousness which was reflected by their faces. Nathanos bit his bottom lip while Kelrian tapped his fingers on the pommel of one of his swords. The comforting smile Sylvanas gave them helped them to calm down so their faces didn't reflect their nervousness anymore.

"Everything will be alright, you just have to believe in yourselves and always pay attention to what is happening around you," she said.

The rangers nodded their heads. "Which groups will we join?" Kelrian asked.

"You will join Verena's group while Nathanos joins Vereesa's group." Sylvanas turned her head and looked at Nathanos. "Do me a favour and keep an eye on my sister. I don't want to lose her. I know she can take care of herself but I rather have someone who looks after her. You are younger than her but you are as good as her so I believe you will be a fine addition to her team."

Nathanos put his hand on his chest. "I will do my best, Ranger-General."

"And I will make sure Zetai won't do anything stupid and charge in a group of trolls alone. It has become more difficult to control him. His undying rage will be a problem in the future. I have to discipline him or send him to a therapist who can help him handle his anger problems," said Sylvanas.

"It's best for us if he manages to control his anger. He can't charge into battle whenever he sees a troll. Maybe it is better if he won't join us in battle until he has proven that he can keep a cool head," spoke Kelrian.

"I get your point Kel but we need him. He is one of our best rangers. We need every good soldier we have. We have to leave a third of the army behind to defend our borders and villages so we really need talents like him for the siege. We need him so we have to take the risk that he sacrifices his life for nothing. This may sound irresponsible but I can't exclude someone who managed to slay twenty trolls alone. Not in this war and not against those enemies. We have to be victorious by any means," replied Sylvanas, looking at him with a serious expression on her face.

"I agree with you, Ranger-General. You made the right choice," crawled Nathanos.

"I know. Anyways, I wish you good luck. I put my trust in you and hope you will make it out alive and slay as many trolls as you can."

"We hope the same for you, Ranger-General," said Nathanos, smiling at her.

Kelrian didn't say anything. He just nodded at Sylvanas whose smile was meant for him.

"Go to your groups and wait for instructions," she ordered. The two rangers obeyed and walked away immediately. Sylvanas regarded them for a few moments before she looked at her sister who regarded her with a small smirk on her lips. "What?" Sylvanas asked, giving Alleria questioning look.

"It's nothing, really."

"You have something in your mind, otherwise you wouldn't smile at me like that. C'mon, spit it out already."

Alleria stepped to her. "I noticed the way Kelrian and Nathanos look at you. I know about you and Kelrian but what about Nathanos?"

"What do you mean?" asked Sylvanas, looking at her confused. One of her eyebrows was raised.

"Even Vereesa has noticed that Nathanos has a crush on you"

"Most people have a crush on me. High elves, humans... Even trolls find me beautiful... It's not unlikely that someone has a crush on me."

"I know sister. I know you are the most beautiful woman in our family. You don't have to rub my nose in it."

"I'm not doing that," justified Sylvanas. "I just said that it's comprehensible that Nathanos really likes me like all the other guys."

Alleria lifted her hands in surrender. "I'm just curious, Lady Moon. You and Nathanos do you have...?"

Sylvanas' facial features distorted in disgust and then her expression changed to anger. "Of course not! I'm in a relationship with Kelrian. Why do you even consider that?"

"To be honest, there was a time where you weren't very loyal to your partners. I just want to make sure that you don't do that again."

"That was the young Sylvanas you are speaking about. I was young and dumb back then. I'm not anymore, I have changed. I was not perfect back then and I'm not perfect these days but I will never cheat on him, no matter what will happen."

"I hope that for you and for him. I have never met any of your other boyfriends. The only lover you ever introduced to our family besides him was Verena. I don't know how many lovers you had before him and I don't really care. I just want to tell you that you are happier than ever since you met him. Don't do anything stupid."

Sylvanas rolled her eyes. "I'm not stupid, Alleria. I'm aware of my own feelings and I know that having an affair with Nathanos won't end well. Unlike you, I don't sleep with humans."

Alleria laughed amused."With humans? Turalyon is the only human lover I ever had. Before I met him, I only dated Quel'dorei. If he and I would ever break up, I don't think I would look for a human partner. I mean, I don't prefer one race over the other but being together with a high elf is not so complicated than being together with a human. I guess I would look for a partner of our race then. But I don't plan on leaving Turalyon. I love him and he loves me."

"I'm happy for you as long as you are happy, Lady Sun."

Alleria smiled at her. "I have to meet Turalyon as soon as this battle is over. I have to apologize to him for my behaviour. I was not myself on that day and the following days. I would have cheated on him if you hadn't come in the room and prevented that I would kiss Verena and... I'm sure you can imagine the rest."

"I know how sex between two women works but the question is do I want to imagine the rest," joked Sylvanas.

"Probably not," responded Alleria.

"Let's change the topic. The battle is about to begin. We have to make sure that everything works as we have planned it. This will be one of the most important battles of this war. We have to win and conquer Zul'Aman. That would be an important step towards victory."

Alleria nodded in agreement. They talked for a few minutes then they became silent and stared at the fortress until Verena and Vereesa returned. "Everyone is ready," announced Verena.

"Alright, tell the artillerymen to fire everything they have at the enemy base. They should aim for the gate and the walls next to it. The battering ram should try to reach the gate and destroy it. Our archers, mages, dragonhawk and gryphon riders should distract the trolls on top of the wall so they won't try to destroy the ram. The mages should also wrap barriers around the archers and groups of soldiers who are getting close to the fortress. We must protect as many as possible from their archers and spear throwers."

"As you wish," said her best friend before she hurried away. Sylvanas turned her head, looking at her little sister. "Your group will always stay behind mine. Follow us and don't do anything on your own. Just listen to my orders and everything will be fine."

Vereesa nodded her head, giving Sylvanas a confident smile. "I will cover your back, sis."

Sylvanas smiled. "I don't need anyone to cover my back but it doesn't hurt to have someone who watches over me and my group and help us for the case that groups of trolls would try to flank us from behind."

"Is there anything any of you want to say before we begin?" Sylvanas asked the small didn't say anything. Instead, she stepped forward and hugged Sylvanas, resting her head on her shoulder as she caressed her back softly. Sylvanas smiled at her as she ran her fingers through her hair.

Vereesa pulled away eventually, hugging her other sister. Sylvanas regarded them with a barely visible smile on her lips. She hugged Verena, allowing her to peck on her lips quickly. Sylvanas only allowed it because a huge battle was about to begin and she didn't know if any of these three women would survive. It was not unlikely that one of them would die so she hugged all of them tightly, wishing them good luck. The four women split up eventually, walking to their groups.

Sylvanas' group was waiting near the siege engines. Their task was to kill all trolls who would try to destroy the siege engines. Fortunately, no group of trolls dared to come any closer. Nobody prevented that the catapults, glaive throwers and ballistae could fire at the fortress.

At first, the troll shamans had prevented that any missile could hit the gate and the walls. They had created magical barriers or used the elements to destroy the stones and glaives which were thrown at the base. The mages managed to destroy all of the barriers the shamans had erected. The more dragonhawk and gryphon riders had raised in the air and the more archers and mages had started to fire at the defenders, the more troll shamans died. Lots of these winged beasts died with their riders but many trolls died on the other side.

Spear throwers, archers, voodoo priests and shamans fell. But more and more trolls climbed up the walls to throw their deadly missiles and spells at the flying attackers. Trolls were killed by spells, arrows, glaives or by massive stones. The walls got more and more damaged over the time so did the main gate. But neither the walls nor the gate fell within the first few hours.

The gate would have already fallen if the battering ram would have reached it but it had been set on fire by the shamans. The fires had been extinguished quickly but the crew which had pushed it forward had been attacked by numerous groups of trolls. Dozens of trolls fell but they managed to kill the Alliance soldiers who had pushed the ram forward. The ram was unmanned but not destroyed. The troll spellcasters were busy with the high elves' air support. Lightning strikes swooshed through the air, the wind was manipulated in the hope to carry the winged beasts away but the shaman's magic only helped them temporarily.

In the end, the winged beasts returned or were replaced by others. The trolls couldn't handle the flying attackers and the ground troops didn't make it easier for them. Hails of arrows rained down on them, killing dozens within mere minutes. The barriers, the mages had erected, protected Sylvanas' rangers from arrows, spears and most spells. Sometimes, a powerful spell broke through one of these barriers but it was weakened in the process so that most of the times the persons, who had been hit, were only wounded. But there had been a few shamans who had managed to kill dozens at a single stroke. Fortunately for the Alliance, they didn't live long. Most of those powerful shamans had been killed a few minutes after they had appeared on the walls.

The sky darkened a few hours later even though it was only in the early afternoon. Dark clouds came out of nowhere and covered the sky. The thundering became louder and louder and lightning strikes rain down on the attackers. It was the work of shamans, probably a group of the best shamans the trolls had. Sylvanas couldn't spot a group on the wall which was casting a spell together so she assumed that the shamans were somewhere in the fortress and performed the spell from a safe spot.

The lightning strikes hit several riders and two catapults within a short time, setting them on fire. The mages of the Alliance managed to extinguish the flames of the first before any significant damage could be done to it. But they weren't able to protect the second. It was out of their reach and burned down quickly. Too quickly. As they reached it, nothing but ashes were left behind.

The unnatural storm didn't stop but the elemental mages were able to conduct half of the lightning strikes. They were shot at the wall, hitting several trolls who were standing close to another. One of the lightning strikes hit a random spot behind the wall. Black clouds of smoke rose in the air, meaning that something had been set on fire. Probably a building.

Sylvanas noticed that some of the gryphon and dragonhawk riders flew behind the wall and went down to attack something or someone. She couldn't know what they were attacking but her assumption turned out to be true as the unnatural storm disappeared suddenly. Either the riders had managed to stop the troll shamans from casting or killed them. Maybe both. Only half of the riders which had dived in came back to attack the defenders on the walls.

Sylvanas and her rangers were firing arrow after arrow. Whenever their quivers were empty, new ones were brought by a recruit or a mage refilled the quivers of ten rangers with only one spell. An undefinable number of arrows had been shot since the beginning of the siege and more than two hundred trolls had died so walls got more and more damaged whenever they were hit by a stone. It was only a matter of time when the walls would fall.

And they fell eventually. There was a huge hole in the left wall, through which the members of the Alliance could enter the fortress. It was large enough that dozens of soldiers could step through it at the same time. The armoured knights and spell breakers were the first ones who started to move towards the huge hole. Regiment after regiment of the Farstriders started to move towards the wall, shooting at any troll who dared to climb on the walls.

Sylvanas' regiment was the second which entered the fortress while the other three regiments were killing the remaining trolls on the walls. The trolls had noticed that they wouldn't be able to hold the elves back so they had drawn back their forces from the walls and stationed them somewhere else. Sylvanas knew she would find out soon enough where Zul'jin had redistributed his troops.

The rangers hid behind barricades or houses as soon as they entered the base. Dozens were killed by a hail of arrows and spears but the invaders fired back, shooting everything they got at them. Alliance soldiers fell so did the trolls. Enough dragonhawk and gryphon riders flew through the air, attacking the defenders from above. The trolls couldn't hide behind their covers because they got attacked from above but they couldn't charge at the elves, humans and dwarves without losing lots of soldiers. Lots of them would be killed by volleys of arrows before they would reach the soldiers of the Alliance.

Nevertheless, the berserkers and warriors tried it. Half of them died before they got close to attackers, the other half was killed by warriors, paladins and other melee fighters. Soldiers of the Alliance fell as well. The trolls were still larger and physically stronger than them so they were superior in one-versus-one combat. One precise axe swing was enough to kill a human, elf or dwarf. The berserkers didn't wear much armour so they died quickly but they also killed their foes quickly when they got the chance.

The first skirmish inside the troll fortress was bloody. Corpses landed in the ocean of blood which covered the ground. Those who didn't die when they got hit were either crippled or seriously wounded. Teeth were knocked out, limbs were separated and blood was spilt. Screams and commands echoed through the air. War cries, pained cries, cries for help or mercy were also hearable.

The trolls showed no mercy nor did the soldiers of the Alliance. Not even Sylvanas herself spared anyone. No troll man, no troll women not even teenagers who were participating in the war. After her brother's death, she had sworn to not spare any troll or orc. She had promised her mother that she will kill as many orcs as possible.

Her arrows were deadly. One arrow was enough to kill a berserker. She needed two arrows at maximum to kill a troll which wore more armour. Two to three arrows were necessary to kill an orc shaman or voodoo priest. Several rangers were necessary to kill a dire troll. Most of the times at least two members of the alliance died for each dire troll which was killed. Only Sylvanas and Alleria were able to kill those gigantic beasts alone. Not even Zetai or Nathanos could take them out alone. Kelrian didn't even try to hit them.

Instead, he focused on the healers which showed up from time to time to heal their wounded comrades. Some people regarded it as dishonourable to kill a healer but Kelrian didn't care. He wanted to win the war by any means so he didn't shrink back from killing those who only wanted to treat the wounded.

Any troll who would be healed could be a danger for Sylvanas. He wanted to protect her by any means. Killing the trolls before they could kill Sylvanas was the only solution. He didn't care about honour. He just wanted to win the war and hope that as many members of the Alliance as possible would survive.

Kelrian picked up the arrows of his deceased comrades whenever his quiver was almost empty. He focused on his enemies and didn't get distracted by anyone. He was aware of what his enemies were doing but he also paid attention to what his allies were doing. He killed many trolls. He didn't know how many he had killed so far but he didn't care at the moment. What mattered for him was to kill as many trolls as possible. The trolls had crippled his mother and he avenged her by killing as many of them as possible. Whenever a troll died by his hands, he became happier.

The Alliance pushed forward and drove the trolls back to the next barricade they had erected. Kelrian was not able to define the exact number of trolls which were hiding behind the cover but he assumed there were many. The fortress was very wide and the barricade didn't seem to have an end. Kelrian didn't see their ends at least. He couldn't know that the barricade extended from the west side of the fortress to the east side. He couldn't know either that there were more barricades which were as long as this one.

The barricade looked very thick and was mostly made out of woods, meaning it was inflammable. He turned his head, spotting a group of human mages from Dalaran who stood in a circle behind a building. None of the trolls could see them, let alone attack them. They took their time, continuing to cast a spell.

Meanwhile, several hundreds of arrows along with hundreds of spears and axes flew through the air. Most of them hit the barricades but there was a small group of rangers who had figured out a way to hit the trolls even though they were taking shelter behind the wooden construct.

These rangers raised their bows higher and shot their arrows in the air. The arrows flew in a catenary arch over the barricades. They hit several trolls, injuring them and even killing some of them. The other rangers made impressed faces when they noticed that the idea of Sylvanas' elite team had worked. They didn't hesitate to do the same, killing more trolls. But the trolls tried the same, killing at least forty soldiers of the Alliance within a few exchange of missiles lasted for a few minutes until the group of mages finished their spell.

The barricades on the trolls' side caught fire which spread out quickly and jumped over on some trolls which had huddled behind it. Loud screams were hearable as the burning trolls ran around in panic and collided with other trolls. The fire consumed the barricade but also the bodies of the affected trolls. The rangers didn't kill the burning trolls, instead, the focused on those who weren't on fire. They had stepped away from the barricades which meant they were unprotected.

Volleys of arrows flew through the air, killing dozens of trolls within no time. But the trolls didn't get distracted by the fire for too long. Unfortunately, they caught themselves faster than the Alliance had hoped for and shot missiles at their foes.

Not much time had passed as the barricade, behind which the Alliance was hiding, was set on fire by troll shamans. The magical fire spread quickly, forcing the elves, humans and dwarves to step away as well. Thanks to their mages, they weren't unprotected like the trolls but there weren't enough mages to create barriers around every group. Not to mention the shamans did their best to destroy the magical barriers.

There was a mage in Verena's group which had created a barrier around them but it was destroyed a few minutes later. The mage with the short brown hair gave his best to create another barrier but he was hit by a lightning strike before he could finish the spell. The group's healer rushed to him but there was nothing she could do for him. The lightning strike had burned the mage's body. The smell of burned flesh stung in Kelrian's nose. That reminded him of the conquest of the first troll base where a ranger next to him had been killed by the same technique.

Kelrian struggled hard but he managed to not vomit at the sight of the burned body. Nevertheless, he managed to shoot arrow after arrow at the defenders. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Sylvanas doing the same. Vereesa moved while she was aiming and shooting, reducing the chances that someone would hit her.

Nevertheless, someone would have managed to hit her with a spear if Kelrian wouldn't have rushed to her and pushed her to the ground before the weapon's tip would have pierced through her left hip. She had grazed her knee when she fell but unlike Kelrian she hadn't hit her head on the ground. She got up and spotted the spear which stuck in the ground not far away from her. Her eyes widened as she realized what would have happened if Kelrian wouldn't have pushed her away.

She looked for the ranger, spotting him about ten feet away from her. He was back on his feet but the back of his head was bleeding. But that didn't bother him at all. He shot arrow after arrow, not caring that his head was hurting. It was only a small laceration, nevertheless, it shouldn't be ignored. He was only losing a small amount of blood but it needed to be treated sooner or later. He might feel dizzy if he would lose too much blood. That would only happen if he would leave the wound untreated for too long.

Fortunately for him, there were a few priests in his near. But he didn't call them, not yet at least. There were others who needed their help more urgently. Arrows, axes or spears stuck in the bodies of some of them. Body parts of others were covered with burns. Corpses lied here and there, blood flowed and weapons were spread over the ground.

Kelrian saw soldiers from both sides burning, heard their pained screams and saw their pain-distorted faces. He could hear the clanging of steel all the time.

Steel cut flesh and bones, separated limbs and ended lives. Wounded people, dead people and uninjured people fell to the ground. Soldiers gathered the remains of their strength to charge at their foes and fought by every means to defeat their opponent.

In the end, lots of them were killed by another opponent who had come out of nowhere. The battle was bloody. There were no rules. No honour. The battle was not honourable. Nobody cared about honour anymore. Each side wanted to win and defeat the other side by any means.

Kelrian saw allies die in his near. He saw rangers, he had met once or twice in his life, die. He saw dragonhawks and gryphons falling to the ground after they had been hit by multiple spells or missiles. He saw large dire trolls which squashed the heads of their foes with their bare hands.

But he also saw trolls which burned to death, were hit by arcane spells or crushed by massive ice blocks which fell on them out of nowhere. He saw dire trolls which eyes were scratched out of their eye sockets by the winged beasts. Trolls were riddled by arrows or by the bolts of the movable ballistae which had been moved through the hole in the wall and stood not far away from the barricade.

A massive dire troll fell backwards as he died, squashing five trolls under him. Another dire troll jumped in the air and landed on three humans, breaking all of their bones. The troll turned his head and looked at Kelrian, his ugly grey lips formed a wide smile. The troll charged forward, knocking a female human away which was thrown against the wall of the nearest building. The sound of cracking bones and the loud screams that quickly died away were enough to tell Kelrian that the woman was definitely dead.

The gigantic dire troll paved its way through the mass of enemies and allies, not caring that he was hurting his comrades. Of course, Kelrian didn't stand there like a statue. He was moving, shooting arrows at the massive beast. Vereesa and several other rangers also fired at the dire troll and injured him. But the troll didn't stop, not even when an arrow hit him in the left eye. He didn't even scream, he just kept moving, lifting one of his fists above his head. Kelrian jumped away and avoided the troll's punch but he didn't manage to dodge the beast's feet. He was thrown through the air.

He hit his head hard as he landed on the ground dozens of feet awayfrom the spot where he had been standing before. He felt dizzy, his head really hurt and his surroundings were blurred. His vision became black for a few moments and the noises he heard were muffled. But then his vision became clearer until he was able to hear and see clearly what happened around him again. His head still hurt but at least he was alive.

He gritted his teeth as he noticed the pain in his back when he got up. His left knee was bloody, the upper half of his uniform was damaged. His left lung hurt whenever he made a breath but he was able to bear the pain.

He hadn't noticed that he had drawn his sword. He was ready to fight the troll with his sword if he must. Fortunately, he didn't have to do that. The dire troll was already laid on its belly not far away from Kelrian. Its limbs were stretched out, dozens of arrows stuck in his neck, head and back. There was a sword which stuck in the back of its head. Zetai noticed his friend staring at him as he drew the sword out. He didn't say anything, he just nodded to him, signalizing him that everything was fine.

Kelrian's eyes widened as he saw the Amani berserker right behind his best friend. "Watch out," were the only words which escaped Kelrian's lips. But it was already too late. The troll's axe grazed Zetai's left hip, causing the ranger to cry out in pain. But the pain didn't stun Zetai. It didn't stop him from moving and reacting. On the opposite, the pain caused the release of a large amount of adrenalin. The muscular ranger moved on his own without realizing what he was doing. The troll's separated head landed on the ground before Zetai noticed what he had done.

A sigh of relieve escaped Kelrian's lips but the exhalation was rather short. His left lung was still hurting so breathing and exhaling were rather painful. He gritted his teeth and pulled himself together. He walked to his bow which didn't lay far away from him. A troll berserker stepped in his way before he could reach his weapon. Kelrian didn't know how but somehow, he had managed to kill the troll with only one sword while his body still hurt.

Another troll stepped in his way. It was a female who was larger and more muscular than him. She had short purple hair and an ugly scar which ran from her left eye to the right corner of her lips. She was rather ugly for a troll but looked strong. Stronger than him probably. She had two medium-sized axes in her hands which she whirled around. She showed off her talent with her weapons.

Her scornful smile became wider with each step she made towards him. But she never reached Kelrian because an arrow pierced through her head. Kelrian looked at the person who had killed her, finding out it was Nathanos who gave him a quick nod before he drew his sword from his belt and finished off a mortally wounded troll who laid right next to him.

Kelrian turned his head as he heard Sylvanas' voice. She yelled out orders while she kept looked at her, noticing that she was standing next to a pile of dead trolls. He assumed that she had killed them all one by one. Or at least most of them. She had help from her elite squad which surrounded her. Verena and Alleria were not far away from her, fighting side by side against two voodoo doctors. They finished them quickly and aimed their arrows at the nearest trolls.

"PUSH THE ATTACK!" Sylvanas yelled again, pointing at a massive building on the other side of the fortress. Like all the other soldiers, Kelrian obeyed and moved forward, firing at his opponents. He only stopped to pick up the arrows of a fallen comrade and put them in his quiver.

Together with the other rangers, he pushed the trolls back to the next barricade where only a few dozens of trolls were standing and helped their retreating comrades to get over the obstacle. They threw their spears and cast spells but they couldn't stop the army of elves, humans and dwarves which ran towards at them.

Kelrian noticed that all his doubts vanished as they destroyed the next barricade and pushed the trolls backwards. He had been nervous at the begin of the battle. He had feared that everything would go horribly wrong. He had feared he would die, or Zetai. Or worse. Sylvanas would die. Or any of his friends.

But none of his friends died so far. He saw all of them. Zetai, Elena, Elonis, Nathanos, Kelia, Saith and Vendora. He also saw other familiar faces. Liadrin, Verena and Sylvanas' sisters of course. He even saw his older brother and older sister somewhere in the crowd. He hadn't seen much of them yet but he assumed they had healed as many wounded allies as possible.

He had a strong feeling that everything will turn out well and that they would defeat the trolls and capture Zul'jin. He was hoping for the best outcome but he also knew it was not over yet. They had only reached the middle of the fortress, meaning that a lot more trolls were awaiting them.

Sylvanas gave the order to split up so the established groups got together and started to move to theareas which they were supposed to clear. Kelrian followed Verena and her group, which consisted of twenty-nine people, to the left side of the fortress. They walked over a bridge and cross the wide lake in front of them. There were trolls on the other side of the bridge but they died before they were able to reach them.

They came to a large building made out of stones which had similarities to a temple. They entered it carefully, looking out for hidden traps. Even though they made careful steps and moved slowly forward, they didn't manage to avoid every trap. One ranger had stepped on a certain floor slab which had caused that a hole in the ceiling had opened and dozens of snakes had fallen onto the soldiers. The group had managed to deal with the snakes but two of them had been bitten. Fortunately, the two healers had managed to neutralize the poison with certain healing potions.

But there was another trap which was activated by accident. Another ranger stepped on a floor slab, causing that arrows were shot out of small, barely visible holes in the walls. Most of the group members managed to throw themselves on the floor and avoided getting hit by these deadly missiles. But not everyone was fast enough. Two rangers, a male and a female, were hit by many arrows. The male died before the priests could reach him but the female survived. The rangers helped her up and the healers removed the arrows carefully and started to treat her wounds. The female was not able to move very fast but she was able to shot arrows.

Two rangers supported her and helped her to walk. She was not very fast but the group adjusted their tempo so the wounded ranger could follow them. The group passed the corridor without activating another trap. They pushed the massive door open, expecting that something would hail down on them as soon as they would enter the room.

One of the two mages created a mirror image which entered the room a moment later. Another mirror image joined it and they ran circles around the door, checking the floor for hidden floor slabs which could activate any trap. They didn't spot any trap but a group of trolls instead.

Verena gave her group the signal to enter the room. The twenty trolls were armed to their teeth. Some of them wore armour while others were almost naked. Only the private parts of the berserkers were covered by leather cloths. Some of them wore necklaces, some of them had piercings in their lips or ears. Except for their different hair colours and hairstyles, they looked pretty similar to another.

There was only one warrior who stood out from the rest. It was a creature which had the body of a troll but the head of a lynx. Whatever this creature was didn't matter. The elves knew that this warrior was special and stronger than the other trolls. They never underestimated any of their opponents so they wouldn't underestimate the beastly warrior.

They had never heard about him before so they couldn't know that his name was Halazzi. He was the Amani lord of the lynxes, a fearsome and well respect warrior among the Amani trolls. He carried two massive swords in his hands.

The trolls regarded the intruders for a few moments, then they started to move. Loud war cries escaped their lips as they rushed towards the members of the Alliance. The paladins and warriors stood in the front line, ready to fight the berserkers while the rangers, mages and priests stayed behind and fired arrows and other missiles at the green-skinned creatures.

Three trolls died before they even reached their opponents, five more got hit but were just wounded. They were still able to move and fight so they didn't stop running, reaching the humans eventually. The trolls were strong. Physically stronger than their opponents. Their blows and strikes contained a lot of strength but the soldiers of the Alliance had thick armours and large shields so they were able to deal with the berserkers. At least most of them were. Two humans died quickly but two berserkers died in return.

There were no barricades, no statues or other things in the room, behind which the rangers could hide. The rangers were not able to take cover while they nocked arrows and aimed. The mages had created barriers around all ranged fighters but the troll shamans and mages destroyed them quickly. The soldiers of each side were unprotected to spells and any other missile so archers and spell casters fell one by one until both sides had lost half of their ranged fighters.

Nevertheless, the Alliance had killed more foes than the trolls did within the first ten minutes. The trolls weren't defeated yet. Halazzi had transformed into a large lynx in the meantime. He was double the size of the lynxes in Quel'Thalas and his teeth and claws were a lot sharper. One of the two priests experienced it first-hand when Halazzi jumped on her and pushed her to the ground. The priestess wasn't strong enough to push the lynx off her nor were the surrounding archers and spell casters able to kill it fast enough. So, it was able to bury his teeth in the elf's neck. The priestess' loud screams died away as Halazzi tore her head apart and flung it through the room.

The nearest ranger was too shocked by the horrible sight in front of him so he stopped shooting and moving. A spear-thrower took advantage of that and hit him. A loud pained scream escaped the human's lips as the spear pierced through his chest. He fell backwards and stopped moving. He was dead so was the troll who had been killed by Kelrian's arrow.

The archers, the two mages and the last priest moved backwards, casting spells and shooting arrows while they did that. The mage managed to freeze the lynx's snout, preventing that it could bite off the arm of a dwarf. The second mage conjured a fireball and threw it at the lynx. Halazzi was able to avoid it at the last moment but he wasn't able to avoid the six arrows which hit him in the left side.

Halazzi's snout was still frozen so his opponents couldn't hear his painful roars. But he was still able to move faster than everyone had expected. He jumped on a human warrior, sending him to the ground. He tried to scratch him with his claws but the female rolled to the side and kicked him in the face. The lynx shrank back and ran to the last remaining trolls. Only a shaman, a wounded older berserker and a spear thrower were left. The rest had been killed by Verena's group which had lost twelve group members in total during the past half an hour.

The shaman melted the ice around Halazzi's snout but then she was killed by three of Verena's arrows which she had shot at the same time. The lifeless body of the young troll landed on the ground. The troll with the spear tried to kill Verena but the Ranger-Captain jumped to the side and avoided the long stick with the sharp tip. She pulled a knife from her belt and threw it at the troll in the same movement. The troll cried out in pain as the knife hit him in the left eye. He dropped the spear he was holding and enclosed his hands around the handle of the knife.

He intended to pull it out but he was never able to do that because Kelrian's next arrow pierced through his head. A clean shot and the troll was dead. The old berserker charged at the warriors who came closer, he focused the last remains of his strength to fight against them. He managed to ram his sword in the upper thigh of one of the warriors but he wasn't able to kill him. He died before he could draw it out and hit the warrior again.

One of the warrior's friends helped the survivor up and brought him back to the priest who started to treat the wound while the other soldiers focused on the lynx. A loud growl came out of the beast's snout. Halazzi bent his back, loud hissing sounds were hearable. He didn't wait long to attack, mortally wounding a high elf paladin. He ended the elf's life by breaking his neck with his strong jaw. But he was hit by a dozen arrows in return. Arcane blasts and ice splinters wounded him so did the swords, axes and hammers of the melees.

The mages froze the beast's feet to the ground, preventing that it could run away. Halazzi had no chance against the remaining sixteen soldiers. The group needed longer than expected to finish him off but he died without killing another group member. The mages burned the beast's body, then the group left the temple without walking into a trap.

They left the temple behind them,killing lots of trolls who rushed to them. They stopped as they noticed that the ground was shaking. They looked around but they didn't spot anyone who could cause the light earthquake. There were no troll shamans in their near.

But there was something in the air. Something dangerous. A loud roar was hearable. The roar of a creature Kelrian had never seen before but heard of.

The roar of a dragon. 


	37. Deadly Breaths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wish you a happy new year.

Kelrian turned around as he heard the loud, deafening sound for the first time. He had never heard such a loud and fearsome roar before so he was curious what kind of creature was able to produce it. His eyes widened, his lower jaw dropped as he saw the winged red creatures in the air.

He had never seen such a creature before. He had only seen drawings of them. These massive creatures had long necks, large snouts with sharp teeth, massive wings and long tails. Their bodies were covered by red scales, only their bellies and the underside of their tails were covered by white scales. These creatures must be dragons. He didn't doubt that.

On the back of each of these mighty creatures sat an orc who was riding them as if it was the most natural thing in the world. The orcs commanded their mounts to attack and the dragons obeyed. Fire came out of their snouts and set soldiers of the Alliance and the ground beneath them on fire. The archers and mages started to fire at these creatures after they had realized that they were not here to have a tea party with them. They wanted to kill them.

The dragon's scales were too thick so the arrows didn't do much. The spells hit them but only slightly injured them. Dozens of elves, humans and dwarves were set on fire but also lots of trolls died in the flames. It didn't seem that the orcs cared that they were roasting their allies.

Lots of groups started to move but that didn't help them to avoid the winged beasts' flames. Verena's group started shooting at a dragon who was floating in the air not far away from them. But they didn't aim at the normally peaceful creature. Instead, they aimed at the orc who was commanding it. Kelrian managed to hit the orc but only in the left knee. The orc didn't die so he was able to make his dragon turn around and spat fire at the group.

Half of the rangers managed to jump into the lake at the last moment, the others were consumed by the flames. It was horrible for Kelrian to watch his comrades burning. Hearing their voices only made it worse. They were still alive but not for too long. Nothing but ashes were left when the fire was done with them. The smell of burned flesh stung in the air.

Kelrian couldn't avert his gaze even though his comrades were already gone. He was too shocked to move. He was standing in the water. His clothes were soaking wet and he was feeling cold. He saw the dragon floating in the air, its head was turned to him. It saw him so did its rider. The orc pulled on the dragon's reins, commanding it to spew more fire. The dragon obeyed.

Kelrian knew he had to dive beneath the lake's surface if he wanted to survive but he couldn't. His body didn't obey him. He couldn't control his body anymore. He was frozen in fear.

Red flames would have consumed his body if a hand wouldn't have grabbed him by the collar of his uniform and pulled him under the lake's surface. He didn't know what was going on but somehow, he managed to regain control over his body. He started to swim, staying beneath the surface. He only came up when he ran out of air. He looked around, noticing that he was in the middle of the lake.

He saw allied groups shooting at the dragons only to get roasted a few moments later. He saw other groups running away in panic. He saw dragons which hovered in the air and did nothing after their rider had been killed. There was a dragon, floating not far away from him. But before it could notice his presence it was hit by a massive ballista bolt.

The bolt pierced through the dragon's chest and impaled it. Loud pained cries and a large amount of blood flowed out of the dragon's mouth. It was horrible to watch as the beautiful but also deadly creature lost height and crashed onto the ground. The dragon didn't move, meaning it was most likely dead.

Kelrian noticed that he was unable to avert his gaze from the creature as he regarded it with widened eyes. He felt a cold hand on his shoulder and another on his face. He broke out of his state of shock, turning his head to look at the person. It was Elena who was the only other person in the lake. He was wondering where the others were. He turned his head, searching them but he didn't find Verena or any of her group members. There was only Elena who had a worried look on her face.

"What are you doing here, Elena?" His voice was quiet and trembled.

"A troll shaman hit me with a gust of wind and pushed me away. I landed in the lake and spotted you so I swam over to you and prevented that you got roasted," she explained. Kelrian stared into her eyes, noticing that she was terrified. And she had every reason to. These deadly creatures could easily kill dozens at the same time. All of their victims died a horrible and painful death.

Kelrian put his hands on her cheeks, speaking soothing words to her as he stared into her eyes. He managed to calm her down, a little at least.

"Where do these creatures come from and why are they fighting for the orcs?" she asked.

"If only I would know that," replied Kelrian. He checked his surroundings once again, spotting more than two dozen dragons in the air and on the ground. The surroundings burned. Trees, buildings and soldiers. Soldiers from both sides.

"We have to get out of the lake," said Kelrian as he turned his head to look at his friend.

Elena's face reflected insecurity. "But what do we do then? We can't fight these creatures"

Kelrian was about to say something as he heard the blowing of a horn in the distance. "That was the signal of retreat," he said, sounding more confused than surprised. "We have to retreat and return to the nearest base."

Elena took his hand, squeezing it softly for a moment. She let him go and started to swim towards the shore. Kelrian followed her quickly and got out of the lake. Their wet clothes disturbed them but didn't hinder them from running fast.

They were near the large bridge in the middle of the lake. They spotted dozens of trolls fighting against dozens of soldiers of the Alliance near the bridge. They also saw other allied groups which were retreating. They fell back and left the fortress as fast as possible.

Kelrian knew he and Elena had to retreat as well but he didn't want to leave those soldiers behind. He had to help them but he had lost his bow when he had jumped into the lake. He had also lost one sword but the other still hung on his belt. It was a miracle that it hadn't detached and disappeared like the other.

He looked at Elena, noticing that she had picked up a spear which had stuck in a human corpse a few feet away from them. The spear was damaged but its tip was still sharp. Sharp enough to pierce through the leather armour some of the trolls wore.

They climbed on the small hill, following the path which led them to the bridge. They killed two injured trolls they crossed on their way. The spear had been destroyed in the progress but Elena had picked up the bow and quiver of a deceased comrade. Kelrian hadn't found an undamaged bow in the near but he had picked up a thick wooden shield which turned out to be pretty useful against the troll weapons. Elena and he encountered a few trolls on their way to the bridge. They killed each of them without getting seriously injured. An arrow had grazed Kelrian's left hip. His left lung, his right upper thigh and his back hurt but other than that he was fine.

He ignored the pain he was feeling whenever he took a breath and put on a brave face. Elena shot arrows as soon as they came close to the bridge, killing several trolls. They had hoped that the soldiers would have defeated those trolls in front of the bridge in the meantime. Unfortunately, they didn't.

Kelrian counted thirty trolls in front of the bridge and seven injured soldiers of the Alliance. The entire ground around the begin of the bridge was covered by corpses. There were elven, dwarven, human and troll corpses but also the corpses of wolves, war bears, dragonhawks, horses and gryphons. A massacre had happened there but the trolls had managed to defend the bridge. They had been outnumbered by the Alliance but then the orcs on their dragons had joined the battle and caused that the balance of power had tipped to the side of the Horde.

Most of Kelrian's comrades who didn't die by the trolls or had been burned by the dragon's flames had retreated. Only a few groups didn't manage to get out yet. The seven soldiers in front of them belonged to them. Kelrian didn't want to leave them behind. The chance that they would survive was low but it existed. The best solution was that all of them would try to escape but that wasn't possible anymore. A small group of trolls had come out of nowhere and surrounded them.

There was nothing he could do for them. He could try to help them and he would love to do that but he had promised Sylvanas to survive. He had promised that he wouldn't die so he had no other choice than moving to the only exit as fast as possible.

He was not proud of retreating but there was no other way to get out alive. He had to leave the seven soldiers to their fate. He knew he would hate himself later but he couldn't break the promise he had given to his general and lover. He was still injured so he couldn't run as fast as he wanted. But Elena grabbed his arm and dragged him with her as she sprinted towards the hole in the wall.

They came closer and closer to the only exit. They could cover the remaining distance within two minutes so they increased their tempo and ran as fast as they could. They were only half a minute away from the hole as two persons jumped from the wall and landed in front of the hole.

The left person was three times his comrade's size. It was a bald dire troll with hands which were a lot larger than the paws of the largest grizzly bear Kelrian had ever seen. Large and thick tusks, which were as sharp as the tips of knives, came out of its lower jaw. Its ugly face was covered in red war paint. Kelrian hoped that it was war paint because there was another explanation why the troll's face and tusks were red. He was hoping that it was not the blood of his comrades.

The troll next to the dire troll was very muscular but not as muscular as his comrade. His entire body was covered by armour which looked much better and firmer than the armours of the other trolls. A necklace made out of human and elven ears hung around his neck.

He was no ordinary Amani troll, even Kelrian had noticed that. It was the same troll Kelrian's father had met and to who he had given the information about Sylvanas' home. The same troll who had told the orcs to attack Windrunner Village and Windrunner Spire. It was no other than Leth'al.

He carried a highly decorated spear which had sharp tips on each side. He whirled said spear around him as he stepped away from the dire troll, signalizing the elves that he wouldn't let them pass. The dire troll cracked its knuckles but it didn't walk towards the elves who had stopped when the trolls had landed on the ground. Leth'al remained on the same spot and whirled his spear around as if he was doing some sort of a spear dance.

Kelrian turned his head a little, noticing five trolls behind them. He looked at Elena, noticing that she was as helpless as he was. There was no way they would get out of this situation alive.

He couldn't believe it was over. There were so many things he wanted to do in his life. He wanted to become one of the best rangers. He wanted to spend more time with his family and his friends. He wanted to spend more time with Sylvanas.

He was only sixty-nine years old which was nothing for an elf. He hadn't even reached adulthood yet. According to the high elven law, he was still a teenager. But that didn't matter anymore. They were surrounded by enemies. Too many enemies. He and Elena might be able to deal with the five trolls behind them but there were much more trolls who regarded them with wide grins on their lips.

He realized he will never able to see his family again. He will never be able to see his mother, his younger siblings and Liadrin again. He will never be able to see Zetai, Elonis or Nathanos again. Not to mention the other rangers he liked.

He will never be able to see Sylvanas again. He will never be able to spend time with the most beautiful woman in Quel'Thalas. He will never see her beautiful face, her warm smile or her golden hair again. He will never be able to talk to her again. It hurt him to imagine how she would react when she would hear of his death. It hurt him so much that he stopped thinking about it.

He didn't want to die. But if he had to, he wanted to kill as many trolls as he could. He turned around as the first troll approached him. He beheaded him before the troll could react. He ignored the frustrated growls of the surrounding trolls as he charged at the next troll and rammed his sword in the troll's chest. He didn't draw his weapon out, instead, he disarmed the stunned warrior and beheaded him with his own axe.

An arrow hit him in the back but that didn't stop the ranger from chopping off most of the arm of an Amani berserker. The warrior howled out as he staggered backwards. He pressed his remaining hand on the stump, his widened eyes rested on his separated limb. The troll couldn't believe he had lost his arm. His head was the next body part which was separated.

Blood splashed on Kelrian's face and uniform but he didn't care. He didn't care about anything anymore. He just wanted to kill as many of these green bastards as possible before he would die. Two more arrows hit him, one in the right upper thigh and one in his right shoulder. But Kelrian's rampage didn't stop.

He slew three more trolls while Elena had only killed three in total. They were injured and surrounded by dozens of trolls. The trolls could kill them easily but they didn't. They could launch themselves on the rangers and end their lives but they didn't. Instead, they remained on their spots and waited for the orders of the person who had just arrived a minute ago.

Kelrian turned his head, looking at the person the trolls were looking at. It was a female troll with long red hair and blue skin. He wasn't hallucinating this. It was right that her skin was blue, unlike all the other trolls whose skin was green. Her hair was made in a sidecut but she also had four long plaits which reached to her waist. Her face was covered with white war paint. Numerous piercings could be found in her beautiful face and in her long ears which were not as long as the ears of the elves.

Even female trolls were taller than male elves but that woman was a lot shorter than the average female troll. She was one head smaller than Kelrian and half a head smaller than Elena. She wore leather clothes which only covered her private parts, the rest of her body was exposed but covered with war paint.

Kelrian was sure she was not a forest or Amani troll. He had never heard of trolls with blue skin, so he assumed she belonged to another troll tribe which must live somewhere else on Azeroth. Maybe she just had been different from birth and belonged to the Amani. He had no clue. He only knew that the other trolls respected her.

Kelrian noticed that his heart was beating faster than it had before since he had caught sight of that troll. He couldn't explain why it beat faster. Was he afraid of her? He was sure that he was not afraid to die. The risk of dying during a war was known to a ranger and he didn't regret that he had chosen that life. He didn't regret any of his decisions. He only wished he could have said goodbye to Sylvanas. He will never see her again and he had not the time to think about the good moments he had shared with her. He wanted to but he couldn't. Elena and he were surrounded by the trolls and there was no way for them to escape.

They would die that day.

They believed that. They believed the strange troll would give the order to kill them but instead, she remained on her spot and regarded them with a small smirk on her bluish lips. She lifted her left hand but she didn't give the order to kill them, instead, she told the Amani trolls to take them and bring them to their temple.

A net was thrown at the elves, which was so heavy that they were pushed to the ground and couldn't get up no matter how hard they tried. Four trolls walked over to them and knotted the net together. Kelrian and Elena were trapped in the net. The trolls had removed their weapons so they couldn't cut the net to get free.

The dire troll walked over to them and picked the net up, putting it on his shoulder. He waited for the woman's order, following her after she had made a gesture with her hand.

Kelrian and Elena were pressed against each other, the cords of the net cut deep in the parts of their skin which weren't covered by their uniforms. They couldn't move at all so the only thing they could do was to look at the surroundings. Corpses were spread all over the ground, some were burned, some were mutilated while others were unscathed.

Lots of trolls, high elves, dwarves and humans had fallen during the battle. Kelrian didn't know the exact number but he was pretty sure both sides had suffered heavy losses. He was wondering where the female troll would bring them and what she would do to them.

He had a bad feeling what the troll might do to them. They were not dead which was a good thing but they were in the hands of a troll which was almost as bad as being dead. Trolls were known to torture their prisoners for fun, rape them or kill them brutally. He was a male so it was unlikely that someone would sexually abuse him but Elena was a possible victim. He was not afraid for himself. He was not afraid what the trolls would do to him. He was afraid of what they would do to her. She was his friend so he didn't want anything bad to happen to her.

Considering the way trolls treated prisoners, Kelrian came to the conclusion it might have been better if the trolls would have killed them instead of taking them captive. The chances were pretty low that anyone would free Elena and him. At least, as long as the orcs were riding on these dragons. The chance that the trolls would make them suffer was pretty high.

At least, they were in the hands of this female so Kelrian hoped that the chances that any troll would violate Elena were lower. On the other hand, he had heard of female trolls who didn't mind that their male comrades would abuse their prisoners and have fun with them.

He could only hope that this woman was not one of those. At first sight, he had noticed that she was different than the average female troll. Not only was she smaller and had a different skin colour, but also her eyes didn't reflect the hatred which Kelrian had seen in the eyes of the other trolls. Nevertheless, was she a troll. It was in her nature to hurt others. Kelrian believed that but he was hoping she was different.

He had already seen enough death on that day so he closed his eyes. He heard the loud victory shouts of the trolls. He heard aggressive-sounding words which were shouted. He could only assume that these trolls were insulting them but he didn't care. He was a prisoner of the Amani trolls, there were much worse things they could do to him and Elena than insulting them.

He heard Elena's uncontrolled breaths and he could feel her hand in his. She was squeezing his hand as if she was hoping it would give her enough strength to not break out in tears. She didn't cry, she didn't even sob so Kelrian assumed that holding his hand helped her to stay calm.

He didn't know how long the dire troll had walked as the shouts of the other trolls became quieter and quieter. He opened his eyes, checking his surroundings. They were in some sort of a corridor which was not tall enough for the dire troll. He had to bend his back and lower his head so it wouldn't bump against the ceiling. He saw a few trolls in the corridor who cheered. The longer the dire troll walked, the fewer trolls they met. After a while, no troll encountered them anymore. They were the only ones who were in the corridor.

The woman stopped after a while in front of a door which was not large and wide enough for the dire troll. He put the net with Kelrian and Elena on the floor, looking at the blue-skinned woman. She said something to him. Something Kelrian and Elena didn't understand. The dire troll nodded at the red-haired woman and walked away.

Leth'al, who hadn't said anything while he had accompanied them, dragged the net into the room as soon as the woman had opened the door. Kelrian was not able to see much, but from what he recognized he assumed they were in some sort of a laboratory. There were a table and many shelves. On these shelves were numerous test tubes filled with different coloured liquids. Many glasses and other weird-looking items stood on the table.

On the left side of the room was a large cage. Leth'al dragged them into the cage and undid the net with a knife, which tip he pointed at them as soon as he had freed them. He signalized them that he wouldn't hesitate to hurt them if they tried anything.

The petite woman entered the room and put shackles around their hands and feet. Elena's leg cuffs were connected to the bars of the right rear corner of the cage. Kelrian's chain was connected to the opposite corner. He was sitting in the left corner near the entrance. The chains were not that short so both prisoners could crawl to the middle and sit next to each other but they didn't because they didn't want to upset one of the two trolls. They already were in trouble so they didn't want to cause more trouble by doing something the trolls didn't allow them.

Both elves remained in their corners and didn't look at their jailers. They looked at their feet, their legs were bent and pressed against their upper bodies. Numerous thoughts came in their minds. They thought about their families and friends, about their loved ones, about their people and about other people who were close to them.

They were depressed. They couldn't believe they had lost the battle. They had expected they would defeat the trolls but they hadn't expected that the orcs would come to the trolls' aid. Not only did they come but also did they bring deadly fire-breathing dragons with them. Nobody had expected that, not even the trolls.

Kelrian was still wondering how the orcs had managed to convince the dragons to join them. He had thought that the dragons were peace-loving creatures who only fought for the good side. He couldn't explain to himself why they were on the side of the logical explanation came in his mind which could justify that the dragons were siding with these murdering bastards. Maybe they had been forced to but who or what would be mighty enough to force creatures like dragons to fight for the orcs. Kelrian found no explanation and he was sure he wouldn't find any.

He lifted his head after a while, noticing that Leth'al was gone and the blue-skinned woman was standing in front of the table. She experimented with liquids which she mixed together with other ingredients. She was an alchemist. Kelrian was pretty sure about that.

At first sight, he had thought she was a shaman. Maybe she was that too. There were a lot of shamanic items and totems which could be found here and there inthe room. He had no clue who she was and what she was going to do to them.

He expected no good things. He was hoping that she wouldn't use them as test subjects for the potions she would brew. He looked at Elena, noticing that she was looking at him. Her face was very pale, her eyes reflected worry but no fear. He didn't know if she was not afraid or if she just didn't show it. But he had the impression that his presence calmed her down a little.

He had to admit that he felt calmer when she was around. He would prefer that he would be alone there and Elena wouldn't share his fate. He would also prefer that both of them would have gotten out of the fortress before the trolls would have caught them.

But he had to accept how things were. They were locked in a cell, not knowing if they would ever get out. They didn't even know if they would survive. They had no clue what this troll had planned for them. The chance, that they would get out alive, was pretty low but it existed. Maybe the Alliance would manage to deal with the orcs and their dragons and then they would come to free Elena and him. The chance for that was pretty low but it was not zero. The worst he could do was to lose hope. He had to stay positive and hope for the best.

He had to hold out and pray to the Sunwell that someone will come and rescue them one day. To achieve that he had to listen to the troll and obey her no matter what she wanted from them. But not only had he to do that. Elena had to obey too. He had no clue how Elena was seeing things. He had to tell her to do whatever the troll wanted from them.

He looked at the troll, noticing that she was still busy with the potion she was brewing in a large black cooking pot. Kelrian started to move slowly without making sounds. The chains and shackles didn't rattle when he moved so the alchemist didn't notice what he was doing. He came closer and closer until he sat next to Elena who had also come closer.

He leaned over, coming so close that his mouth almost touched her ear. "It doesn't seem that this troll wants to violate us. If we do whatever she wants from us, we might not be sexually abused by these green rapists. I rather want to be her test subject and drink every potion she brews than watch you getting violated by these bastards," he whispered.

"The worst that can happen is that one of these potions kills us or cause unbearable pain. But I rather chose that than getting dishonoured by trolls. We don't know what she is planning but I hope she leaves us here and doesn't give us to other trolls," she replied quietly.

"We can only hope that someone comes to free us or that we find a way to get free and escape somehow. Not all hope is lost."

Elena nodded at him. "Not all hope is lost," she repeated.

"As long as they don't ask us about military information which could give them an advantage, I will do whatever she wants from us. I won't betray our people but I want to live. So, I will do what she says as long as it doesn't result in our people suffering.

Kelrian didn't know how much time had passed when the female troll came to them and opened the cell door, placing two plates on the floor. She closed and locked the door, walking back to her table. Kelrian and Elena ignored the plates at first but then Kelrian crawled to the cell door and picked up the plates, returning with them to Elena. He put them between them and regarded them closely.

There was a raw piece of meat, a few pieces of bread and a half cucumber on each plate. There was a strange smell in the air but none of them had a clue why the food was smelling like that. It was not a disgusting smell but it wasn't pleasant either.

Kelrian feared that the troll might have poisoned the food. The first thought which came in his mind was that he shouldn't eat the food. On the other hand, he would starve to death if he wouldn't eat anything the troll would give him. If the food was poisoned, everything would end at least so they would no longer be the prisoners of the trolls. If the food was not poisoned, he will survive, so the chance that he would see Sylvanas again one day would still exist. That chance might be pretty low but it was not unlikely that the Alliance would find a way to deal with the dragons and defeat the trolls and orcs. He had to be optimistic if he wanted to survive the time he and Elena would be held there.

He would never go to see Sylvanas again if he would refuse to eat, so he had to accept the meals the troll woman would give them. He didn't trust her. He assumed that she did something to the food, maybe added one of her mixtures. Otherwise, he couldn't explain to himself why it smelled like that. But he realized they had no other choice than eating the food.

The two elves regarded the plates for a while. Kelrian was the one who did the first move and picked the piece of meat from his plate and took a bite. The meat was tough and tasted weird but it was not unpalatable. It was not easy to chew on but he managed to eat it with a lot of effort. Then he ate the pieces of bread and the cucumber. Elena had hesitated at first but then she took the first bite.

She had debated long if she should do what the troll wanted from her but then she had realized it wouldn't be wise to resist her if Kelrian would do the opposite. She hoped Kelrian was doing the right thing so she followed his example and did what he did. There weren't many other options for them. Either she obeyed the troll and probably served as her test subject or she resisted which wouldn't end well for her.

She trusted Kelrian. She loved him so she did what he would do. If they had to die then at least they could die together. Of course, she was hoping they would get out alive somehow but she didn't really believe that this would happen. Unlike her comrade, she was not an optimist. She assumed the worst which could happen would be that Kelrian would die. She didn't mind dying. She only hoped Kelrian would survive.

The two finished the meal eventually, turning their heads to look at the troll who was still experimenting. Kelrian noticed that Elena was holding his hands but he didn't say anything nor did he pull it away. He allowed her to hold his hand because he didn't know how much time they had left. They could be killed at any minute so he had to make the best out of the current situation. He didn't want to hurt Elena so he allowed her to intertwine their fingers, noticing that it made her a bit happier.

Kelrian didn't know how much time had passed when the troll came to the cage the next time. Minutes, hours or even days could have passed. The troll had left the room at least four times which could mean she could have slept in another room or did something there was no clock in the room, it was impossible to predict how long they had been locked up in this cage. He only knew that he was pretty hungry and thirsty.

The troll entered the cage, regarding her prisoners for a few moments before she handed them two small bottles which were filled with a pink liquid. The troll opened her mouth, starting to speak in the common language with a clearly hearable accent. "I give' ya somethin' ta eat if ya drink da potion in de bottles." Her voice was higher and sounded gentler than the voices of other female trolls.

She had a neutral expression on her face and her eyes didn't reflect hatred, disgust or any other negative feeling. She was the only troll the rangers had met so far who didn't seem to hate the high elves. At least she was not showing that she hated them. Kelrian had no clue what she thought about the races of the Alliance. He could only assume that she wouldn't be fond of them but he didn't notice any indicates which proved his assumption right.

"What if we don't drink your potion?" asked Elena, staring into the troll's yellow eyes.

"Den ya will starve ta death. Ya only get food if ya obey."

"What is this liquid?" the elf with the turquoise coloured hair asked.

The troll was silent.

A loud sigh escaped Elena's lips. She was about to say something but then she felt Kelrian's hand on her shoulder. She turned her head, looking at him. He gave her a nod, signalizing her to stop discussing with the troll. Elena frowned at first but then she nodded and looked back at the troll woman who regarded her curiously.

"At least tell us who you are," demanded Elena. She ignored the questioning look Kelrian was giving her. She didn't let go of Kelrian's hand as she continued to stare in the troll's eyes, signalizing her that she was not afraid of her. The corners of the troll's lips formed a small smile. She put her left hand on the right cheek of the brave elf, caressing it carefully. The troll's skin was warm but felt strange. Her three-fingered hand stroked her skin.

The troll stared into Elena's eyes who didn't avert her gaze. Kelrian was regarding the two females with a frown on his forehead. He was not sure what was going on there. If he wouldn't know it any better, he would say that the troll liked Elena. But she was a troll and Elena was a high elf. There was no way a troll would like a high elf, not to mention find her attractive. Kelrian could only assume he was imagining this. There was no explanation for what he was seeing in front of him.

He tilted his head a little as the troll averted her gaze and looked at Kelrian. "Ma name is Sen'za."

"So, Sen'za. What are you going to do to us and what is in this bottle?" he asked.

"I won't do ya any harm if ya do what I say. If not... Dis won't end well for ya ."

Kelrian nodded his head.

"An' stop askin' questions about what ma potions do. Just drink dem an' I will promise no otha troll will touch ya," she replied.

Kelrian exhaled loudly. "We will do it. I hope you will keep your promise."

Sen'za didn't reply to him. She just pointed at the potions, signalizing the elves to drink them. She drew a small book which was bound in leather from her belt. She opened it and walked to the small table next to the cage. There was an inkpot with a quill. She took the quill and pressed its tip against the paper, ready to note something. She lifted her gaze, giving the elves and expecting look.

"Wat are ya waitin' for? Drink it," the troll commanded, her voice sounded slightly annoyed.

Kelrian's gaze fell on Elena who gave him a nod and a small smile. He returned her nod and removed the stopper. The pink liquid had a sweetish smell. The taste was not different. It was very sweet and tasted good. Kelrian noticed that his skin started to tingle but other than that, nothing happened. It seemed that nothing in his appearance had changed because Sen'za didn't write anything down in her book.

He looked at Elena, noticing that nothing changed for her. He had no clue what they had just drunk. It could be poison or something else. He had no clue what it was nor did he know when the effect would occur. If it had an effect. Nothing notable had happened so far. Time passed. None of the three persons in the room knew how much time had passed.

Sen'za was still standing there, the quill's tip was still pressed against the paper. The troll woman was still looking at them but her neutral expression had changed over time. Her new facial expression reflected annoyance.

"Why is nothin' happenin'?" asked the troll loudly.

Kelrian assumed that the question was not directed at him or Elena so he remained silent while he looked at his friend who gave him a curious look.

Sen'za looked at the empty bottles then she looked at the elves, cursing under her breath. She shook her head, speaking to herself in her mother tongue. She started to walk circles in the cage,muttering something in the common language the humans, dwarves and high elves spoke to communicate with each other.

"Why does dis not work? I combined all de necessary ingredients in de right orda. Somethin' went wron' but wat?"

She stopped walking after a while. She stood in the middle of the cage and looked down at her prisoners. "It has ta work."

The elves remained silent.

Sen'za's thoughtful expression was replaced by a determined expression. "Maybe de notes are not complete. Maybe da catalyst is missin'. I can only hope dat it works if one of ya do de first step."

"What you mean?" A small amount of confusion was reflected by Kelrian's voice.

"I want ya ta kiss each otha," the troll responded.

Kelrian's and Elena's eyes widened. "What?" they asked in unison.

"Ya heard me correctly. Connect ya lips and kiss."


	38. Test subjects

"You can't be serious. Is this some sort of a joke?" asked Kelrian. His brows were raised, his eyes were widened and his voice reflected confusion and surprise.

"Do I look like I make jokes?" Sen'za asked, tilting her head as she scrutinized the elves in front of her.

"Not really," admitted Elena.

The troll made a gesture with her hand. "Ya do whatever I want from ya and I will spare ya and make sure dat de otha trolls don't touch ya. Dat's de deal. If ya don't obey me... Ya can guess wat I will do with ya."

"I just don't understand why you want us to do this," said Kelrian.

"Dat's none of ya business. Do it already before I lose ma patience," the troll hissed. Her eyes were narrowed and her voice reflected annoyance so the elves knew she wouldn't discuss with them for too long.

"Fine, we will do it," said Elena. Kelrian turned his head and tilted it as he looked at her.

Elena's voice was as quiet as a whisper. "What? There are worse things she can force us to do than kissing. We better obey her, otherwise..."

Kelrian sighed. "You are right... We have to do it then," he replied hesitantly.

If it was up to him, he wouldn't kiss Elena. He loved Sylvanas so he would never kiss another woman. But in this situation, he had no other choice than kissing her. He knew it would feel wrong but he had to do it. He was asking himself why the troll wanted that. Why did she want that he and Elena would kiss? He assumed it had to do something with the potion she brewed but he had no clue what it was supposed to do.

He had an assumption but it didn't make sense to him. Why would a troll alchemist want to brew such a potion? He was sure he wouldn't find an answer to that because the troll wouldn't tell him. He could only do what she wanted and hope that the potion wouldn't work.

Kelrian looked at the troll, then at Elena whose lips formed a barely recognizable smile. Kelrian was sure she would enjoy that. She had always wanted him and it seemed that she didn't mind kissing him under these circumstances. He was thinking about Sylvanas. What she would say when she would find out what they were about to do. He was sure she wouldn't be happy at first but she would understand it because he was forced to kiss Elena. He was hoping she wouldn't be mad at him for long.

There was also the possibility that Sylvanas would never find that out because it was not unlikely that he would never get out of here. It could be possible that nobody will ever rescue him or Zul'jin would order their execution as soon as the alchemist didn't need them anymore. He could only hope that he would get out of there eventually.

Kissing another woman who was not Sylvanas was wrong but he had no other choice. His hands were tied, literally. It was the best to obey the troll, especially because she was not like the troll warriors. She was not bloodthirsty or sadistic. She didn't want to torture them or make them suffer. She seemed to be a nice person, except that she used them as test subjects for the potions she brewed.

Kelrian hesitated to lean in and kiss his friend but Elena didn't. She closed her eyes as she pressed her lips against his. He didn't kiss her back but feeling his lips on hers was enough to make her happy. She smiled into the kiss, holding it as long as possible. She pulled away eventually, opening her eyes. She was breathing heavily. Her gaze rested on him while his gaze rested on Sen'za.

He refused to look at Elena, feeling ashamed that he had kissed a woman who was not Sylvanas. He felt guilty, even though he didn't have to. He did nothing wrong but he still felt bad. He didn't ask to get kissed by Elena. He hadn't initiated the kiss. Nevertheless, he felt as if he had cheated on Sylvanas. That was not the case but it felt like that for him like that. He hated himself and he was hoping that Sylvanas would forgive him one day. If he would ever see her again.

He had thought of Sylvanas while Elena had kissed him. That made him feel less guilty. He just hoped he wouldn't have to kiss her again. If only he knew.

* * *

_A few days earlier_

"Fall back!"

"Retreat!"

"Save yourselves!"

Commands and shouts echoed through the air. The screams of injured soldiers and the panicked cries of other soldiers were drowned out by the extreme loud roars of the dragons. Fire was everywhere. The nearest forests burned just like a group of Alliance soldiers which had encountered a dragon recently. The red dragons were following the fleeing soldiers. Most of the siege engines had been reduced to ashes. Only a few ballistae were left which fired at the dragons. Some of their bolts hit the winged beasts. Two dragons died before their race members managed to destroy the last remaining ballistae.

Half of the rangers tried to hit the orcs, who sat on top of the dragons' heads and controlled them, while they ran. A few of them died but most of them avoided the arrows and other missiles which were shot and thrown at them. They commanded their dragons to follow the fleeing army of the Alliance, burning hundreds during the chase.

The land burned so did the forests. Animals were injured, lost their home or burned to death. The orc's lips formed wide smiles as they saw that the number of their opponents became smaller and smaller the longer, they persecuted them. They followed them to the borders of Quel'Thalas, turning around when they received the order to return to Zul'Aman.

The dragon riders were not happy about that. They wanted to burn more elves, humans and dwarves but they obeyed their commander whose dragon was larger than all the other dragons.

Sylvanas' widened eyes followed the dragons who turned around suddenly and flew back. She was wondering why they stopped following them. They could have persecuted them to the gates of Silvermoon City but they didn't for a reason. Normally, orcs didn't retreat then they had the upper hand. The orcs she had gotten known to would have followed her army until they would have been killed the last remaining soldier of the Alliance. But they didn't. That confused Sylvanas but she was glad that they weren't following them anymore. She had already lost too many soldiers that day. She didn't want to lose more.

Everything had been fine before the dragons had appeared. The Alliance would have defeated the trolls if the orcs wouldn't have come. She was asking herself why the orcs were flying on dragons. There was no understandable reason why the dragons were fighting for the orcs. Dragons were peaceful creatures who didn't interfere in the wars of the mortals. They didn't choose sides. They were neutral. Normally.

For some reason, they were on the side of the Horde. Sylvanas wanted to figure out why the dragons were fighting for the Horde but she didn't have the time to do that. It was not the right moment to think about that. She needed to calm her army down and lead them. Her soldiers were scared, in panic and injured because their numbers had been drastically reduced by the dragons. Sylvanas assumed that more than half of the soldiers she had led to the battle were dead.

She led the remains of the army to the nearest base which was by far not large enough to host the thousands of survivors. The priests who had survived and the doctors and healers of the base began to treat the mortally wounded in the hope they could save them.

Sylvanas looked around and estimated the number of survivors. She guessed that at least ten thousand of thirty thousand soldiers had survived. Maybe more.

She had lost too many soldiers. So many lives for nothing. They didn't get anything in return. They killed lots of trolls but they didn't conquer Zul'Aman nor did they capture Zul'jin. They didn't achieve any of their goals but paid a very high price in return.

It was not Verena's fault that they lost. She planned everything pretty well and her plan would have worked if the orcs wouldn't have come. The Alliance had been on the winning side until the dragons had come out of nowhere. Nobody would have expected that dragons would come and defend the trolls. Not even the trolls themselves. They had been as surprised as the Alliance when the fire breathing creatures had appeared.

Sylvanas knew she had to figure out a plan. She knew she had to find a solution. She had to find out how to deal with the dragons. She had to do that but not now. She had to take care of the rest of her army. Later she could figure out how she should report the disaster to the king.

She walked to the nearest group of rangers, calming them down. She spoke to them shortly, telling them to calm down the others as best as they could. They nodded at her and spread out.

Sylvanas was about to walk to the next group as she spotted a familiar person. She rushed to her and pulled her in a tight hug, kissing her forehead at least five times. "Vereesa, my dear. I'm glad you are alive," she said and buried her face in her little sister's neck. The smaller woman smiled sadly, running her fingers through her hair.

"I'm alive but half of my group isn't. They died in the flames...," she whispered, her voice and her face reflected sorrow.

Sylvanas pulled away, regarding her baby sister. There was a long cut on her left cheek and a bruise on her right forearm which was exposed because the sleeve was torn. Her hair was dirty and messy, which could mean that she had been pushed to the ground or she could have fallen during the panic which had broken out when the dragons had arrived. But other than that, she was fine.

"Have you seen Alleria or Verena?"

Vereesa shook her head.

"What about Kelrian and Nathanos?"

"I saw Nathanos somewhere after we left the fortress but I didn't see Kelrian," replied the silver-haired woman.

Sylvanas cursed under her breath. "We have to find them."

Vereesa nodded her head. "I will help you find them."

They walked from group to group, calming them down and asking them if they had seen the four persons they were looking for. The first few groups hadn't seen any of them but the fifth group told them they had seen Alleria somewhere near the freshly erected tents for the wounded soldiers. Vereesa and Sylvanas didn't hesitate to walk to the tents, spotting Alleria a few feet in front of them. Sylvanas didn't care that her sister was talking to a Ranger-Lieutenant as she approached her and threw her arms around her shoulders.

Alleria made a surprised face but the surprise was quickly replaced by relief. She returned Sylvanas' hug, smiling at Vereesa as she stroked the Ranger-General's back. She put a few kisses on Sylvanas' cheeks, then she pulled away and hugged Vereesa who smiled at her. Her smile was a sad smile but she was happy that her sisters were alive. She just couldn't show her happiness, knowing that thousands of people died that day.

"Have you seen Kelrian, Verena and Nathanos?" Sylvanas asked eventually.

"I saw Verena but I didn't see the others."

"Where is she?" asked Sylvanas.

Alleria's small smile vanished and worry was reflected by her face.

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow, her heart started to beat faster. "What do you know? Tell me!"

A sad sigh escaped Alleria's lips. "She is alive but..."

"But what?" Sylvanas interrupted loudly.

"She was mortally wounded..."

"What?" Sylvanas cried out. Worry was reflected by her face. She was shocked to hear the bad news.

Alleria dug a small hole in the ground with the tip of her feet and gave her sister a comforting look. "I don't know what happened to her but I found her heavily injured and pulled her up on my horse as we retreated. It's a wonder that she was still alive when I found her," she paused for a moment, staring in Sylvanas' eyes which were widened in shock. "The priests are not sure if she will make it but they will give her best to save her."

"I want to see her," demanded Sylvanas.

Alleria tilted her head, looking at Vereesa before she looked back at Sylvanas."I'm not sure if you want to see her in her condition."

"She is my best friend, let me see her. "

"Your wish is my command," responded Alleria. She took Sylvanas' hand, caressing its back as she guided her to one of the larger tents. Verena laid on a provisional bed, her entire upper body was covered by bandages which were soaked in blood. Her face was pale, her eyes glowed weakly.

Sylvanas rushed to the bed and bent down, taking her left hand which wasn't covered by bandages. She intertwined their fingers, caressing the back of her hand carefully. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest as her eyes roamed all over her best friend's body. "What happened?" asked Sylvanas after she had managed to order her thoughts in her mind.

A sad smile appeared on Verena's lips. "The most beautiful woman on Azeroth comes to visit me. This must be a dream."

Sadness was reflected by Sylvanas' facial features and her voice. "Sadly, not. This is the cruel reality."

"So, it's true that we lost?"

The Ranger-General nodded her head hesitantly. "What happened to you?" Tears formed in the corners of her eyes but they didn't leave them. They didn't roll down her cheeks because Sylvanas' managed to hold them back.

"I don't know what happened. A dragon landed next to me and then... Everything around me went dark."

"She was hit by the tail of the dragon," spoke Liadrin.

Sylvanas turned her head, looking at the priestess. She was surprised by her presence. Liadrin had been in the tent the whole time but Sylvanas hadn't noticed her until this moment.

"The dragon threw her through the air and she landed on the rubble of a building. Her back is heavily injured," explained Liadrin.

Sylvanas looked at Verena then back at the priestess with the honey-brown coloured hair. "Can you help her?"

"I have already performed a spell which eases her pain and heals her wounds slowly but I can't tell if it's enough. I can only wait and focus my power for the next spell. Currently, I can't do anything. The spell cost me the last reserves of my mana," told Liadrin. "I spent so much power during the battle that I have not enough mana left for treating her better. I'm sorry I can't do more for her.

"Can't you give her some potions?" asked Alleria.

Liadrin shook her head. "I already gave her three potions. Giving her more won't make it better. We have to wait. There is nothing else I can do for her. At least not at this moment. We have to be patient."

Sylvanas came closer to her best friend until her face was only a few inches away from hers. "You have to fight, my dear. Don't you dare to die. I will never forgive you if you do so."

Verena's pale lips formed a weak smile. "You don't need to cry. I won't leave you. I love you too much to leave you."

Sylvanas wiped the tears away with the back of her hand while her other hand still held Verena's. "Everything will be alright, I promise. You just have to stay strong. Can you do that for me?"

Verena nodded her head weakly. "I would do everything for you," she whispered.

"Hold out and stay strong. You will survive, promised."

Liadrin stood up and put her hand on Sylvanas' shoulder. "You should give her some rest. It's better if she gets some sleep."

Sylvanas nodded and leaned over to Verena, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. She pulled away and regarded her best friend for a few moments before she left the tent. Liadrin followed her. "Have you seen Kelrian?" asked the priestess. Worry was reflected by her voice, her eyes and her face in general.

Sylvanas shook her head.

"I hope he is alright. I hope he's around here somewhere," Liadrin said quietly.

"I hope so too. Take care of Verena I will look out for Kel meanwhile."

Liadrin nodded to her and entered the tent. Sylvanas turned her head, looking at her sisters who gave her worried looks. "Tell your groups to look for Kelrian and Nathanos. I must know if Kelrian is alright."

Alleria and Vereesa nodded at her and walked in different directions. Sylvanas regarded them for a few moments before she started to search for her lost lover.

* * *

_Protocol_

_Day 7_

_Once again, the mixture didn't work on the test subjects. I changed the concentration and amounts of the ingredients but nothing happened. The subjects drank the potion but they didn't behave as they were supposed to. I ordered them to kiss a few times but nothing happened._

_Day 9_

_I changed the catalysator. The exchange of the herb goldthorn with another herb called kingsblood caused that the colour of the potion changed from pink to light red. Unfortunately, the potion's effect didn't change. Nothing happened when the subjects drank the liquids. Sharing kisses didn't cause the expected effect. I have no clue why it doesn't work._

_Day 14_

_I added more ingredients which could increase the effect of the catalysator. I added the bones of a lynx to the potion but they didn't dissolve properly. Small bubbles were formed when I added finely grounded tiger teeth. The small bubbles disappeared when I added the scales of green snakes. Nevertheless, the potion didn't work._

_Day 27_

_Still no results. The love potion doesn't work, even though I added the hairs of a succubus. Five trolls died to catch the filthy demon. Five deaths for nothing._

_Day 33_

_I managed to scoop a few tears from the succubus. I added small amounts of the succubus' blood to the mixture. Then I threw a few leaves of sungrass in the pot. The colour changed to dark red. I gave it to the subjects but it didn't cause the desired effect. Side effects occurred. The male got sick and vomited three times on this day. The woman got a rash. At least it was not itching so the woman didn't make it worse by scratching her skin._

_Day 35_

_The succubus managed to manipulate the guards and escape. Three trolls died. Leth'al, the new bodyguard of Zul'jin's mate, got stabbed in the left hip but he survived. Zul'jin's best hunters are following the succubus and try to catch her. Until they will return, I have to get along with the few small tubes filled with the succubus' tears and blood._

_Day 42_

_I managed to cut out the side effects but the potion doesn't work. The trolls managed to catch the succubus. After some stimulation, I managed to scoop the succubus' release. I hope the potion will work this time. Succubi are known to charm men and women with their looks. Their hair or the liquids their bodies contain must be useful somehow._

_Day 43_

_Still no results. I have no clue why it doesn't work. I'll add a few strands of hair from both test subjects. Hopefully, it will work this time._

_Day 48_

_I accidentally turned my not working love potion into a slow working poison. None of the test subjects died but they were in pain for three days until I managed to create an antidote. The two elves are recovering slowly. I have to wait for a few days until I can give them the next potion._

* * *

Sen'za opened her book and was about to note down the newest results as she heard loud knocks at the door. She put her book aside, wondering who would disturb her. She opened the door, her eyes widened when she saw the two persons who were standing in front of her laboratory.

One of them was Zul'jin's wife So'mi.

Her entire body was covered by clothes which were made out of brown bear fur. She had yellow eyes and blue dreadlocks which reached to the half of her back. Her tusks were decorated with golden rings and each of her ears was pierced by five rings. Next to her stood Leth'al. He wore his splendid battle armour and carried his magnificent spear in his left hand.

Sen'za didn't hesitate to bow in front of the co-leader of the Amani. She got up as soon as So'mi told her to, letting the heavily pregnant women enter her laboratory. Leth'al followed her, regarding the alchemist with narrowed eyes.

So'mi regarded the blue-skinned troll with disgust, then she averted her gaze and looked at Kelrian and Elena who were sitting in the corners of the cage.

"These are your test subjects, aren't they?" she asked in zandali, the language of the trolls, so the elves couldn't understand her.

"They are, your majesty," replied Sen'za.

The female Amani troll turned her head and looked at the table and the pot next to it. "What are you working on?"

Sen'za hesitated for a moment. "Nothing noteworthy."

"What would that be?"

"I'm working on a special poison which would only work on the high elves." She didn't avert her gaze to prevent that the queen might get suspicious and find out that she was lying.

The queen raised a brow. "That would be noteworthy, wouldn't it?".

"You are right my, queen. I'm sorry," responded the alchemist. She was nervous in the other woman's presence and she wasn't able to hide that.

"So, why didn't you tell me from the beginning?" she asked, giving Sen'za a questioning look.

Sen'za remained silent, not knowing what to say.

"Do you want to know what I think?"

Sen'za nodded her head.

"I may not understand much of alchemy but the fact that you need a succubus for your research makes me suspicious. I have the suspicion that you try to brew something which can cause that my mate falls for you," the green-skinned troll told.

Nervous laughter escaped the red-haired woman's lips. "How do you come to that conclusion?"

So'mi's eyes narrowed. "I know that you are after Zul'jin since you met him two years ago. I notice that you want him. I can see it whenever you look at him. Don't deny it."

"I..." the blue-skinned troll started but she was interrupted by So'mi who hit her in the face. The pregnant troll pushed her against the wall, not caring that she hit her head. Sen'za held her hands in front of her head, hoping that So'mi would stop hitting her. She stopped hitting her but only because Leth'al took over. He pushed the smaller woman to the floor and started to beat her with his fists. So'mi's lips formed a pleased small as she regarded the scene in front of her. The redhead's painful screams were music to her ears.

She averted her gaze eventually, walking to the cage where Sen'za's experimental subjects were held. "You have fine specimens there. But only two. A male and a female. That's suspicious."

She walked back to Leth'al and Sen'za, looking at them for a few moments before she walked over to the alchemist's desk and picked up the book which was lying there. She opened it and skimmed through a few pages. She raised an eyebrow, an amused expression appeared on her face as she turned to the red-haired woman. "You really believe that love potions work. I don't believe such things work but I can't allow that you steal my mate if you manage to create a working love potion. He is mine, not yours."

Sen'za didn't respond to her, not even as Leth'al stopped to hit her and got up. She didn't get up nor did she look at the female Amani troll. Her face was covered by her own blood, her head hurt and her nose was broken. But not only her head hurt. Leth'al had kicked her in the stomach and even in the back several times. She was not moving, knowing it would only cause pain to her.

So'mi had her arms crossed in front of her chest, regarding the smaller troll with a scornful smile on her lips. "I hope this was a lesson for you. Stay away from my man and stop working on your stupid love potion. It won't work anyways like all of your previous projects. I wonder why Zul'jin keeps you after you have disappointed him so often. I don't understand why he has selected you as his new right-hand. You are a worthless piece of shit," she made a small pause, regarding the alchemist from head to toe. "He won't want you anyways. He prefers experienced women like me and not virgins like you."

Loud laughter escaped So'mi's lips. She turned her head and looked at the cage. "You won't need your test subjects anymore," she said.

"Shall I kill them?" asked Leth'al.

"Kill the man. Leave the woman alive, she will serve as a reward for those who bring me the Ranger-General's head. Until then, you can give her to the soldiers. They will have a lot of fun with her."

Leth'al nodded his head. "As you wish."

"You can't do that!" shouted Sen'za.

So'mi raised an eyebrow, her face reflected amusement. "What did you say?"

"I said you are not allowed to harm them. Zul'jin gave them to me and promised me that no one will touch them," replied Sen'za. Her voice was calmer and her facial expression had changed. She was angry.

"I rule over the Amani with my husband. I am Zul'jin's queen so I can do whatever I want."

"I need them for my research," shouted the alchemist.

So'mi tilted her head. "I don't care." She turned her head, looking at her bodyguard. "Kill the man."

"As you wish, my queen," responded Leth'al. He turned around and walked to the cage slowly, ignoring the screams and shouts of the blue-skinned troll. He opened the cage door and stepped in. He regarded the elves with an amused smile on his lips. They were sitting close to another and regarded him with a curious look on their faces. They had no clue what was going on. They didn't speak the language of the trolls so they couldn't know that Leth'al had been ordered to kill Kelrian.

He drew his dagger from his belt, his smile became wider as the man got up and held his hands in front of his body. He would have no chance against him, nevertheless, he tried to defend himself. Leth'al respected him for that. He had a fighting spirit so he wouldn't let him suffer. He would end it quickly. The troll lifted his hand above his head, ready to end the blond man's life with a single blow.

But he was not able to execute the deadly blow because a knife hit him in the back and caused that he stopped dead in his tracks. A short painful cry escaped his lips. He pulled the knife out and turned around. His eyes reflected anger and he gritted his teeth as he regarded the red-haired woman who stood next to her desk. He shifted his gaze to his leader who signalized him to deal with the troll first. Leth'al's smile became wider.

But before he was able to make the first step, he was forced back by chains which were wrapped around his neck. Kelrian's chain cut deep in Leth'al's flesh and stole his breath away. The troll shook his body and tried to get free but he didn't succeed. Kelrian strangled him with the chain while Elena wrapped her chain around the troll's feet and brought him down as she pulled on it with all of her strength. The troll was lying on the floor which allowed the elves to pin him down and strangle him.

Leth'al lashed out and tried to get free but the chain around his neck stole his breath and his strength. He was much taller than the elves and physically stronger than them. Nevertheless, he couldn't do anything against them. He became weaker and weaker the longer they strangled him.

So'mi didn't dare to help her servant. She was too afraid that something would happen to her so she stayed away from the cage and watched in horror that her bodyguard was strangled to death by the two prisoners. She ran, trying to reach the door and alarm the guards but the beaten troll tackled her and sent her to the ground. Sen'za climbed on top of her and started to hit her in the face.

One punch. Two punches. Three punches. Several punches.

So'mi's nose broke. Her entire face was covered by her own blood as Sen'za stopped eventually. She got up and walked over to her desk. She opened the first drawer of the small cupboard next to it and pulled a knife out. The co-leader of the Amani trolls screamed as she saw the sharp object in her hands.

Sen'za walked over to her but a hand grabbed her arm and prevented that she could stab the pregnant woman. She turned her head, surprise and confusion were reflected by her face as she saw the person who had stopped her.

"How did ya manage ta get free?" she asked Kelrian.

"I opened the handcuffs with the help of a knife which hung on his belt," he responded, pointing at the dead troll. He had an impassive expression on his face as he looked at her.

"Let me go so I can kill dat bitch," Sen'za hissed.

"I don't know what is going on between you two but I'm not standing here and watch you killing a pregnant woman."

"She deserves it," hissed the red-haired woman.

"I can't judge if she deserves it or not but I won't allow that a pregnant woman is hurt or killed. Not even during times of war. A child should never suffer because of the actions of their parents."

The troll didn't say anything in return. She made an annoyed face but then she put the weapon away. She regarded Kelrian for a few moments before she looked back at the green-skinned troll who still laid on the floor.

"We will need her if we want ta get out of here. De otha trolls won't let us pass but if we take her hostage dey will," spoke the alchemist.

"You want to flee?" Kelrian asked surprised.

"I can't stay in dere. Zul'jin will kill me when he finds out dat I injured his whore of a wife. We have ta flee as soon as we can,"

"You are right. I've just a small question before we go. How many days did you hold us captive?"

"Fifty-two."

Kelrian's eyes widened. Fifty-two days. It was longer than he had expected. He had thought they had been brought there two or three weeks ago but instead, they had been captured almost two months ago. He didn't want to imagine how Sylvanas was feeling. Did she hope that he was still alive? Or had she already accepted that he was dead? Was she mourning for him? Was she alright or did the grief broke her?

He couldn't imagine how Sylvanas was feeling. He was afraid _losing_ him might have affected her pretty hard so he wanted to return to her as soon as possible. He had to show her that he was still alive. He was worried about her.

"Give me the key so I can free my friend," Kelrian demanded. Sen'za obeyed and handed him the key which she had taken out of a drawer. He signalized her to keep an eye on the pregnant troll, then he walked to Elena and freed her from her chains, pulling her up. Elena hugged him tightly and pressed a kiss on his cheek before she pulled away. Her clothes were as dirty as his but they didn't care. They just wanted to get out of here as fast as possible.

"We do it like dis: You two will hold ya knives against our throats while walking. Dere is a small corridor which leads ya to a secret exit so ya don't have to walk through the entire fortress. Only a few guards will be dere but dey will let you pass when dey see de knives in front of our necks," explained the alchemist.

"Why are you helping us?" asked Elena. "You could just leave us there and leave the fortress alone.

"De otha trolls will think dat I'm a traitor if I flee. So dey will search for me and kill me. If we do it like dis, dey won't kill me. Dey will think I got captured as well."

"Makes sense," replied Elena.

"We need ta find somethin' which shuts So'mi's mouth. I don't want her ta tell de guards wat we have planned."

Kelrian turned his head, checking his surroundings. "I'm pretty sure you have something we can put in her mouth. A sponge or a piece of cloth."

"I do," said the troll as she walked to the cupboard. She took three pieces of cloth out of it. One she stuffed in So'mi's mouth. The other two she bound around her eyes and mouth. So'mi was unable to see and say anything. Sen'za handed a knife to Elena. "Just bring us out of de fortress to de nearest forest. But let me gatha a few items first."

She walked to her desk and put a few potions and other items in her backpack. She took a necklace out of the lowest drawer of the cupboard and put in there. The necklace was made out of animal teeth. Large ones, small ones, sharp ones and broken ones. She walked back to Kelrian and handed him her backpack, signalizing him to carry it for put it on his back then he put his arm around her, holding the knife against her throat. Elena walked over to the troll queen and lifted her up, doing the same with her.

Kelrian looked at Elena, then at Sen'za. "Are you ready?"

"Ya also need ta put a gag in ma mouth, othawise de guards might think I'm not ya prisoner. Dey will ask themselves why ya have gagged de queen but not me."

Both elves nodded. Kelrian got a piece of cloth in Sen'za's mouth. Elena ignored the muffled sounds So'mi made as she pushed her to the room's door. Kelrian opened it, allowing Elena and her prisoner to walk through it first. Kelrian closed the door as soon as he and Sen'za had left the room.


	39. After-effect

_Almost two months earlier_

"I'm afraid to tell you that we didn't find Ranger Kelrian Sunsinger anywhere," reported Mel'ron.

Sylvanas turned around, regarding the ranger from head to toe. His uniform was dirty and covered by troll blood, his black hair was messy and his left forearm was wrapped up in a plaster cast.

"You looked everywhere?" she asked. Her face was very pale, her eyes were widened and reflected shock. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest as the upcoming panic started to overwhelm her. So did fear. She didn't fear anyone. Not any enemy.

She feared that she would never see Kelrian again. A few hours had passed since she had brought the rest of her army back to the nearest base. A few hours had passed since she and her rangers had started looking for Kelrian and Nathanos. Nathanos had been found wounded in a forest. He had been brought back to the base and was currently treated by the doctors.

But Kelrian remained missing. Nobody had seen him. Even Verena didn't know where he was. She had told Sylvanas that she had last seen him before the dragons had appeared. Then she had lost him. Sylvanas had sent out groups to search the area for Kelrian. But nobody had found him so far.

"We did," he responded. "Either he is dead or the trolls got him which is even worse than being dead, in my opinion. I'm sorry, Ranger-General."

Sylvanas stared at the horizon where the outlines of Zul'Aman could be seen. She didn't say anything to Mel'ron, who interpreted her silence as an approval to his question if he was dismissed. He bowed to her but she didn't see it because her back was turned to him. He couldn't see the tears which were formed in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. He regarded her for a few moments, then he walked away, leaving the Ranger-General alone on the small hill.

Sylvanas' covered her face with her hands, sobbing quietly. She couldn't believe that Kelrian was either dead or had been captured by the trolls which meant that he was as good as dead. How could this happen?

She had hoped he would make it out. She had put him in the second-best group after hers but he had gotten separated. She had looked out for him when she had given the order to retreat. She had looked out for him when she had fled with the rest of the army. But she hadn't seen him in the mass of soldiers. She had hoped he was among the retreating soldiers but it turned out he wasn't. He was either dead or worse. He might have been captured by the trolls who could do unspeakable things to him at this very moment. If he wasn't already dead.

They could torture him. She knew he wouldn't reveal any information which would only mean they would torture him more and cause more pain to him. She imagined Kelrian crying out in pain as the trolls did unspeakable things to him. More tears ran down her cheeks

She blamed herself for what happened to Kelrian. If she wouldn't have been so paranoid, she would have allowed Kelrian to remain in her group so she would have fought by his side and made sure he would always be alright. Instead, she had put him in Verena's group where he had gotten lost as the dragons had arrived.

"It's not your fault that we lost. Nor is it your fault that Kelrian is not here, you know that, right?" asked a familiar voice. Sylvanas didn't turn around nor did she say anything. She remained on her spot and stared at the horizon. She didn't stop crying.

The person stepped to her and wrapped her arms around her, resting her head on her shoulder. "I still feel responsible," responded Sylvanas after a while.

"You knew the risk so did he. The only way to keep him safe would have been to not allow him to participate in the war. He wouldn't have liked that, you know. He was proud to fight for our people and he was good at killing these green bastards. He is not the only one who is missing. We don't even know if he is dead. He could be somewhere out there. Maybe he fled in a different direction. Just don't lose hope, my dear. Hope for the best."

Sylvanas turned her head, looking at Alleria who had pulled her hood down and ran her fingers through her hair, caressing her scalp carefully. Surprisingly, it had a comforting and calming effect on Sylvanas but it was not enough to brighten up her mood.

"Come, Sylvanas. I bring you to a room where we can talk about everything. I'm pretty sure Kelrian is alright and will return to you."

"I hope so," Sylvanas muttered quietly. "Otherwise, I wouldn't know what to do."

A sad sigh escaped Alleria's lips. She turned Sylvanas around, wiped her tears away, dried her eyes with a handkerchief and guided her to the base.

* * *

_Present_

Kelrian and Elena followed the secret corridor, Sen'za had told them about. They were pushing the trolls forward as they walked, knives were pressed against their throats so they wouldn't try to get free. They spotted a few guards after they had walked around a corner.

The guards lifted their weapons as they saw them, shocked and surprised expressions appeared on their faces as they noticed that the elves had taken the wife of their leader captive. They didn't try anything because they knew the elves would kill So'mi if any of them would do a wrong step so they allowed Kelrian and Elena to pass them.

The former prisoners knew the guards would run away and alarm others as soon as they would walk around the next corner. Therefore, they walked faster so they could leave the fortress as soon as possible. They met more guards as they walked around the next corner. Like the first group of guards, none of them tried anything. Not even the dire troll in the room at the end of the corridor.

The dire troll's yellow eyes rested on them but he didn't move. He just turned his head and watched the four persons walking through the room he was guarding. The elves and the trolls hurried through the bordering corridor, passing four more guards as they came to the secret exit.

The exit was a door which was closed but the guards opened it as they realized their queen would be killed if they wouldn't let them go. To protect their queen and the future child of Zul'jin, they opened the door and let the group out. The troll's eyes were narrowed and hatred was reflected by their faces but they didn't do anything to stop the elves. They allowed them to escape.

Kelrian waited until the door was closed again, then he took the gag out of Sen'za's mouth. "Where are we going now?" he asked as he checked his surroundings. They were standing in front of the mountain's foot on the left side of the fortress. Grassland was in front of them, a huge forest was not far away from them. He could recognize pines and lime trees from the far.

Sen'za pointed in the northern direction. "De borders ta ya kingdom is in dis direction. Ya can go there if ya want."

"And what will you do?" asked Elena.

"I don't know. I can't return ta de Amani, not as long as dis bitch is alive. She will tell everyone the truth. Either we kill her or ya bring me ta ya nearest base so I can brew a potion dat deletes her memories."

"You know that our people will take Zul'jin's wife captive, right? They won't allow her to return to Zul'Aman. Only in exchange for Zul'jin's head," said Kelrian. He ignored the questioning look Elena was giving him.

"Ya are right. I can't give her to ya. I want ta return ta Zul'Aman after I have brewed a love potion dat works. I can't give ya de troll queen but I need ta delete her memories."

Elena looked at Kelrian, speaking to him in thalassian. Sen'za and So'mi were only able to speak zandali and common with a broken accent, so they couldn't understand what Elena said. "I know she has freed us but she is not our friend. She wants to return to Zul'jin and help him to be victorious. We have to bring her and Zul'jin's whore to our people."

"You are right but it feels kind of wrong. She could have killed or tortured us but she didn't," Kelrian responded as he looked at the alchemist.

"But she forced us to drink her potions, even though she didn't know what they will do to us. She could have killed us by accident. Remember the three days we have been in pain all the time. She is not a good person. We are nothing more than test subjects for her," responded Elena. She stared into Kelrian's eyes, wondering what was going on in his mind.

He was silent for a few moments but then he nodded to her and told her she was right. "It's our duty to bring the troll queen to our people. We would betray our people and our nation if we would let her free. The Alliance will have a huge advantage over the trolls if we bring her to Silvermoon. But Sen'za won't allow us to bring her to the nearest base."

"Only because you told her what would happen if she would bring her to the base. If you wouldn't have said anything, we could have brought them to our people"

Kelrian sighed. "You are right, I'm sorry."

"That doesn't help us now. We have to knock them out and run to the forest before the trolls shoot at us."

"But..."

Elena interrupted him. "We don't have the time to discuss everything. Do you trust me?"

Kelrian nodded. "I do."

"Good. Knock her out, I will do the same with the troll queen."

Kelrian hesitated for a moment. He looked at Sen'za who regarded him with a curious look on her face. "I'm sorry," he muttered in the common language before he took her head and bashed it against the rock. Sen'za was still conscious so he did it again. He felt sorry that he had to do it but Elena was right. They were at war and any advantage over the trolls could save numerous lives. They couldn't risk the lives of thousands just because it didn't feel right to betray the one who freed them."

Muffled sounds were hearable but they became silent as Elena knocked the troll queen out. Kelrian put Sen'za over his shoulder while Elena carried So'mi in her arms. They hurried away as fast as they could with the additional weight they had to carry. Kelrian had no problem carrying the blue-skinned troll. She was very light. So'mi was a bit taller and heavier but Elena was physically stronger than most female Farstriders so she managed to keep up with Kelrian.

They reached the forest before any troll could shoot arrows at them. They knew the trolls would search for them so they didn't pause as they reached the forest. They ran for hours, only making smaller pauses from time to time. Fortunately, nobody found them. At least no enemy. They were later found by a small patrol of six Farstriders.

Nathanos was among them so was Elonis. The female high elf rushed over to Elena once she realized it was her. She hugged her as soon as Elena had placed the troll queen on the wet ground. Elena returned the hug, caressing the back of her best friend. Kelrian regarded them for a few moments, then he greeted Nathanos and shook his hand.

"I'm glad to you're alive," spoke the human as he regarded Kelrian from head to toe. "We feared you died during the siege, or worse, got captured by the trolls. We didn't expect you are still alive. What happened and who are these trolls?"

"One after one. I can't answer every question at the same time."

Nathanos nodded. "Where were you all the time? Did they capture you?"

"They did."

"How did you escape?" Nathanos asked curiously.

"That's a long story."

Nathanos gaze fell on the two unconscious trolls. "So, who are they?"

Kelrian pointed at the blue-skinned troll. "This is Sen'za, the current right hand of Zul'jin," then he pointed at the troll on the ground. "This is So'mi. She is the wife of Zul'jin and the one who carries out his child." Kelrian looked at Elena, receiving a nod from her.

It didn't feel right to betray Sen'za but they were at war with the trolls. Sometimes, things which didn't feel right had to be done for the greater good. He was thankful that Sen'za didn't torture them or hurt them intentionally so he had decided to do his best to protect her and prevent that the Alliance will lure information out of her by torturing her.

He was not sure what he will do about the troll queen. He just wanted to make sure that she and her baby will be alright. She might be a troll but she was an expectant mother which meant no harm should be done to her and the baby in her belly.

He looked back at Nathanos and the other rangers, noticing the surprised expressions on their faces. They were at a loss of words, not knowing what to say. Nathanos was the first who caught himself and was able to speak again.

"You are not trying to tell us that you managed to escape and kidnap the troll queen, are you?" he asked. His voice reflected surprise and disbelief.

"We are not trying to fool any of you. What Kelrian told you is right," spoke Elena. She gave Elonis a kiss on the cheek before she pulled away and stepped closer to Nathanos.

"So, this is indeed the troll queen?"

Elonis nodded.

"How did you manage that?" asked Nathanos.

Elena looked at Kelrian, receiving a nod from him. Elena told them quickly everything they needed to know. She didn't tell them that the troll alchemist forced them to kiss each other whenever she had given them a new potion. She just told them that they were used as test subjects and what happened when the troll queen and her guard entered the room.

Nathanos nodded at them. "We should get out of here before the trolls find us."

"Is it right that we were held captive for almost two months?" asked Kelrian.

Elonis nodded her head.

"What happened in the meantime?"

"We will tell you everything while we walk to the nearest base," responded Elonis.

"I'm fine with that," replied Kelrian as he followed the others through the woods. He was carrying Sen'za over his shoulder while two rangers carried the troll queen.

Nathanos started to explain what had happened while Kelrian and Elena had been held captive. "The orcs pushed forward since they forced us to retreat. With the help of the dragons, they destroy more and more villages and set the forests on fire. They have been last seen in Fairbreeze Village."

"That's not far away from Silvermoon City," interrupted Kelrian.

"It is indeed. We try to defend Quel'Thalas and its citizens as best as we can but we cannot do much against these flying, fire breathing beasts. They are too many and one of them is enough to destroy an entire village. Most people had fled and taken shelter in Silvermoon City which is protected by a powerful barrier created by the best mages of the Alliance. The orcs and their dragons won't manage to break it that easily but it only buys us time."

"Is there any chance that we might handle the dragons?" asked Elena. Worry was reflected by her face and her voice.

"There is", responded her best friend. "The Ranger-General has sent her younger sister to accompany a human mage who received the task to free the dragons from the control of the orcs."

"The orcs control the dragons... I knew that it is the only explanation which makes sense. There is no justified explanation why these peaceful creatures would support these green murdering monsters voluntarily," said Kelrian more to himself than to the others who just nodded their heads.

"We don't know how they control them but we know they do. We can only hope that this human mage and Ranger-Lieutenant Vereesa Windrunner free the dragons. Until then, we have to hold out and deal with the dragons the old-fashioned way. We killed dozens of them within the past weeks but there are still too many out there. We also killed lots of dragon riders. Some of the dragons were freed while others still fought against us. I don't know why only some of them get free when we kill their riders but at least we don't have to kill every dragon. We would never be able to do that. It's already very difficult to hit a dragon with our arrows while they in the air. Hitting them with the bolts of the ballistae is much more difficult."

"How many soldiers and civilians did we lose?" asked Elena.

Sadness was reflected by Nathanos' face as he shook his head. "I don't have an exact number but I can say that we lost too many."

"Where is the Ranger-General and what is she doing? Is she alright?" asked Kelrian. He wanted to know if Sylvanas was alright. He was afraid that she had assumed that he was dead so she had gotten in another phase of depression which she wouldn't be able to overcome without help. He also feared that Sylvanas didn't make it like numerous other soldiers. He was afraid of losing her or having lost her already in this case. He didn't want to imagine what would happen if she would be gone forever. He needed to see her so badly and show her that he was still alive.

"She is on a mission," Nathanos replied shortly.

Kelrian raised an eyebrow. "On a mission?" he questioned. His heart was beating fast because he had found out that she was still alive.

"She wants to discuss with the human kingdoms, the dwarves and the Council of the Six of Dalaran how to proceed in the war. I guess they are discussing a plan B if the mage doesn't manage to free the Red Dragonflight," explained Nathanos.

Kelrian regarded the young human with the brown hair for a few moments before he looked at the troll queen. "Can't we use her as a form of pressure to force the orcs and trolls to leave our lands? **"**

"I'm not sure if the orcs would care. More than half of the troll army was killed during the siege which could mean they are not as important for the Horde as they once were. It could be possible that the trolls stop attacking us but the orcs continue. It's not unlikely that the orcs would abandon the trolls and fight us on their own," responded Nathanos.

"We can still try it but nothing is guaranteed. It can work but maybe it doesn't," said Elonis. "You should speak to the Ranger-General about that. You can also talk to her sister or to Verena."

"That's not a bad idea. Where is your lover?"

"She is in Silvermoon. She has not fully recovered from her injuries so she didn't join the defence yet."

"She was injured?" asked Kelrian. Surprise was reflected by his face and voice. But also worry.

Elonis nodded her head, sadness was hearable in her voice. "She was but she is getting better. Some of the scars she got may never disappear but she will be able to fight again one day. She just needs more time to rest. She may not like it to remain in bed all the time but she has no other choice. I wish I could take care of her but I have my orders so I'm here and not at her side in Silvermoon." Elena put a hand on Elonis' shoulder and gave her a comforting look as she turned her head to glance at her.

"What are you doing here exactly?" Kelrian asked curiously.

"Most of the Farstriders and Alliance soldiers take shelter in Silvermoon or help to evacuate the last few villages. They are waiting for the Ranger-General's return. Until she comes back with a new strategy, they stay safe and don't risk anything. Only a few groups like us look over the trolls. Our task is to inform the High King if the trolls come out of the ruins of their capital city. He wants to know when the trolls strike back."

"Why are you not travelling by horse then? It would be much easier to escape when a group of trolls or orcs would spot you."

"The horses make noises when they move. But we don't. That's why."

Kelrian nodded to Nathanos. He was content with his explanation. It made sense that they didn't travel by horse because the enemy would spot them easier. Not to mention that they couldn't hide the horses if the enemy would come closer to them. The Farstriders were good at hiding in the forests. They were taking advantage of their surroundings whenever they could.

The horses would onlybe in their way. The enemy would know that someone must be in the near if they would spot the horses. Sometimes, running away was not an option. Sometimes, hiding was the only way to survive. They wouldn't be able to ride away if they would be surrounded by enemies. Nathanos was right. He was a very intelligent human.

"Is there anything else you want to know?" Nathanos asked eventually.

"You told me where our Ranger-General is but you didn't tell me how she is. I just wanted to know if the Ranger-General is okay."

"I haven't seen her often since the battle. I've heard that the defeatand your disappearance have really affected her, at least for the first weeks. I've heard she doing better now. Nevertheless, she didn't stop fighting like she did when her brother died. She didn't remain in her room this time and helped to evacuate the citizens instead," explained Nathanos.

Kelrian didn't say anything in return. He remained silent, a thoughtful expression appeared on his face as he walked. He was worried about Sylvanas but at the same time, he was glad that she had managed to overcome her grief. She didn't know that he was still alive but she will find out soon.

Kelrian followed Nathanos and his group to the next base. The base looked more like a half ruin than a real base. Half of the base had been destroyed by fire but the other half was still intact. Dozens of workers were rebuilding it but it was far from being finished. Kelrian assumed it would take weeks to rebuild the burnt buildings and the destroyed parts of the wall.

The keep was still intact. New tiles covered the roof, meaning it had been rebuilt as well. They walked to the keep, greeting the soldiers which were standing in front of it or where guarding the inside. Neither Kelrian nor Elena said anything as Nathanos' group handed the trolls over to Ranger-Captain Vara Sweetblossom who had decided to put them in prison cells as long as she didn't know what to do with them. She knew she had to inform the Ranger-General first bevor she could do anything. She had to inform the king too so she dismissed everyone and started to write a letter to High King Anasterian Sunstrider.

Only a few barracks had been destroyed by the dragons' flames, meaning that there enough barracks left in which Kelrian and Elena could rest. There was no separation of sexes in the elven military, meaning it could be possible that a man and a woman could share a room. That was the reason why Kelrian and Elena were assigned to the same room. There was a bed on the left side of the room and one on the opposite side.

It was already late and it had been an eventful day so Kelrian decided to go to bed and get some sleep after he had taken a shower. He didn't mind that Elena was watching him as he changed clothes. They had fought side-by-side. They had tried to flee together and they had been captured together. They had spent much time together in the cell of Sen'za's laboratory and they had suffered together. Both had been used as test subjects for the alchemist'spotions.

He couldn't explain to himself that he didn't mind that she ogled his exposed upper body before he put the top of his pyjama on. Elena didn't leave as she changed clothes. She had hoped that Kelrian would watch but she hadn't expected that he would actually do it.

But there he was, his blue eyes rested on her thoroughly fit shape. His gaze rested on the long scar beneath her right breast and later shifted to another scar which could be found on her left upper thigh. Kelrian ignored her red coloured underwear mostly. Unlike her, he didn't ogle his room-mate.

He wished Elena a good night as soon as she was fully dressed. He didn't comment on the slightly disappointed expression on her face as he covered himself with the thick and comfortable blanket. He closed his eyes, hoping he would stop thinking about things so he could fall asleep as soon as possible. But he didn't. He was tired but he couldn't fall asleep. Even an hour later, he was still awake.

Another hour passed. He rolled in his bed, hoping that lying in a different position would help him fall asleep. But it didn't. He couldn't fall asleep and he couldn't stop thinking about a certain person. To his surprise, it was not Sylvanas who came in his mind over and over again whenever he tried to fall asleep. The person was Elena. He couldn't stop imagining her beautiful face.

In his mind, she was smiling at him. Her turquoise coloured hair was combed and reached to her shoulders. He imagined her wearing a beautiful dress. She was dancing with a person. It really surprised him that the person was himself.

He was asking himself why he was thinking about her. He was in a happy relationship with the most beautiful woman in Quel'Thalas. He had no reason to think of another woman. But for a reason he couldn't explain to himself, he couldn't stop thinking of her. He shook his head, hoping to banish the thoughts of her out of his head but it didn't work.

The scene he was imagining changed. He was not seeing Elena in that beautiful dress anymore. Instead, he saw her next to him in the cell. She huddled in a corner, her hair was messy, her skin and her clothes were dirty. She was afraid. Afraid of someone who stood outside the cage and regarded her. It was a shadow. There were two red glowing eyes. No arms and legs. No face. Nothing. Nothing but these red dangerous-looking eyes.

Was he worried about her or why was he imagining this scene? He cared for her that was right but only as a friend. Why couldn't he stop imaging her? He found no answers to his questions. But more questions came to his mind.

Was she more important to him than he wanted to admit? Was she more than just a friend to him? But Sylvanas was the one he loved so there could be no one else he would have feelings for, right? Was it wrong to care for another woman? Was it wrong to think of another woman? Why was he imagining kissing her? Why did he like it? Did he really like it or was the Kelrian in his imagination liking it?

So many questions.

Kelrian opened his eyes and set up, shaking his head. No. It couldn't be true. There was no way he would have feelings for another woman. He had never felt anything but friendship for Elena. Why was he feeling so weird at this very moment? Did it have something to do with the various potions Elena and he had drunk while they had been held captive? Was it an aftereffect or a side effect with a long delay? There was no way that a potion would exist which could influence his feelings for Elena, right?

He had felt nothing when he had kissed her every day whenever he had drunk such a potion. He had always imagined Sylvanas when he had been forced to kiss Elena. He hadn't enjoyed kissing Elena. Even though she was a good kisser... Wait... His thoughts drifted off once again.

Kelrian shook his head, wondering what was going on. He noticed that his heartbeat was faster than usual and that his skin tingled nervously. He felt weird. He couldn't describe how he felt. Weird was the only fitting word which came in his mind.

He looked over to Elena, noticing that she was looking at him. She sat on her bed, her blue eyes stared into his. She was biting her bottom lip softly, her eyes reflected a little amount of lust.

She stood up slowly and pulled her top over her head and removed her bra, revealing her nude upper body to him. Last time, he had managed to not ogle her. This time he couldn't stop himself. He didn't want to ogle because it was wrong to ogle another woman. He wanted to avert his gaze but he couldn't. Something was forcing him to scrutinize her c-cup breasts and her flat and muscular stomach. It felt as if he had no control over his body.

He could only lay there and watch while Elena came closer and closer. He knew she had feelings for him since a long time so whatever she and he had consumed, only pushed her to do what she had wanted for a long time. She wanted him and there was nothing he could do against it.

Dammed be Sen'za and the last potion she had given them on the day she had freed them. Kelrian tried to regain control over his body but it didn't work. He couldn't stop Elena from pulling his blanket away nor could he stop her from sitting down on his lap. It felt wrong as their lips met, as their tongues danced in each other's mouth. It felt wrong on so many levels but he couldn't prevent it. It felt as if someone else was acting for him. He was forced to return Elena's kiss.

He stopped thinking about Sylvanas. The wrong feelings and the guilt vanished and was replaced by passion and joy. There was only Elena in his mind. The last thing he noticed was that she removed his clothes before everything around him became dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some of you won't like the ending of this chapter.
> 
> But what is a good romance story without drama? What is a good warcraft story without drama? A good story needs drama.
> 
> I hope you will forgive me.


	40. Arguments

Kelrian didn't open his eyes when he realized that he was awake. His head hurt for some reason. He had no clue what happened the previous day but he had had a weird dream. In his dream, he had kissed Elena and done much more than that.

That was absurd. He would never kiss a woman who was not Sylvanas. There was no way he would ever cheat on her. He was loyal and he would never do that to Sylvanas. He loved her too much so he would never do anything which would hurt her.

He opened his eyes after quite some time, noticing that the entire room was dark which meant he was not able to recognize anything around him. He had no clue where he was. He noticed that a person laid next to him as he lifted his upper body a bit. The person could only be Sylvanas. It couldn't be Elena. There was no way it would be her.

His eyes got used to the darkness eventually but he was still not able to recognize who it was. He pulled the blanket away slowly, revealing the nude form of a woman who laid on her belly. He didn't need long to notice that this woman was a bit smaller and slimmer than Sylvanas. The woman's ass was not as round as Sylvanas' and there was a small tattoo on the woman's right hip. Sylvanas had no tattoos. This was definitely not Sylvanas.

That could only mean he had woken up next to another woman. How could he? How could this happen? He would never cheat on Sylvanas. He was an honest and loyal person. Doing things in secret was not his style. He had no reason to cheat on Sylvanas. He loved her. She was the most beautiful woman on Azeroth, there was no one who was more beautiful than her. No one who was like her. So why did he end up in bed with another woman? Nothing made sense for Kelrian.

He felt guilty. He was confused and shocked at the same time. Confused why he had done it and shocked that he had done didn't remember how it had begun nor did he remember what they exactly had didn't remember a thing. He didn't need to remember anything to know he had made a mistake.

Sylvanas will be furious when she will find out. Not only furious. She will also be hurt. She didn't even know he was still alive. It would break her heart if she would find out. His mind told him to not say anything to her but he couldn't lie to her. His head said yes to lying but his heart said no. He knew Sylvanas will find it out sooner or later. There was no way she wouldn't. The longer he will keep it secret, the angrier she would be at him. He had to tell her everything as soon as possible. Maybe it would be easier for her to forgive him one day.

He regarded the woman next to him one more time, noticing her turquoise coloured hair for the first time since he had woken up. It was indeed Elena. Sylvanas will be furious.

A sad sigh escaped Kelrian's lips as he stood up and put his clothes on. He left the room quickly, making no sound as he sneaked through the corridors to the shared shower facilities. It was very early in the morning so no one was up who could spot him. He entered the bathroom and removed his clothes.

He was lost in thoughts as the semi-warm water came in contact with his skin. He reflected what had happened the following weeks. He had the assumption that one of the potions the troll alchemist had given them was responsible for what had happened. There was no way he would get involved in love-making with Elena under normal circumstances.

But Sylvanas would never believe him even if it was true. It sounded so strange that Sylvanas might interpret it as a bad excuse for his actions. Sen'za would be the only one who could tell Sylvanas the truth but he didn't think she would believe the troll. He had a big problem and he had no clue how he could prevent that Sylvanas will be mad at him.

The shower didn't make him feel better nor did it wash the shame off his body. But he didn't want to feel better. He couldn't forget what happened but he needed to make his head clear so he could consider what he should do. He dried his body and his hair with one of the towels which hung there. He got dressed again, leaving the room and the barrack.

He started to run circles around the barracks, hoping he could get his head clear. He ran until the sun came out and shined on him. He stopped walking then but he didn't go to the barracks. He wanted to avoid Elena because he didn't want to talk to her about what happened on the previous evening.

He walked to the largest barrack which served as the dining room. He took a seat on a table on the right side of the room after he had received his meal. He spotted a few rangers he knew but he didn't talk to them or invited them to take a seat on his table. He ignored the glances of the others and their quiet talks as he began to slurp his hot soup.

It was not very delicious but it was better than nothing. During times of war, people had to be satisfied with what they could get. He got another bowl of soup, eating it as well. He lifted his head eventually, noticing that the others were no longer staring at him.

The ones he knew, passed his table and told him that they were glad he was back while the others ignored him or at least didn't speak to him. Kelrian was fine with that. He didn't want to talk to anyone. He got up when he saw Elena entering the dining room. She wore a fresh uniform, her hair was combed and dark red lip-stick covered her perfect lips. She was stunningly beautiful but Kelrian didn't care.

He walked right past her, ignoring the smile she was giving him. He couldn't see the confused expression on her face as he left the room. In the following days, he avoided Elena as best as he could. He only met her when he was surrounded by others so she couldn't speak to him in private. Kelrian was glad about that because he didn't want to talk to her about that night.

He knew he had to speak to her one day because he had to tell her that he was not interested in her. He had to do it one day but he didn't want to do it on this day or the day after. Maybe in two days. He hoped Elena would lose interest in him but he knew she wouldn't.

The base was not the largest so it was not easy to avoid Elena all day. He knew he couldn't avoid her forever but fortunately, both of them had duties to do. Ranger-Captain Vara Sweetblossom had assigned them to different groups. He and his group had to watch over the main entrance of Zul'Aman while a second group watched over the secret entrance through which Kelrian, Elena and the others had fled.

The group Elena had joined watched over Zul'Aman during the night which meant Elena slept during the day while Kelrian slept at night. They barely saw each other which made it easier for Kelrian to avoid her. He felt bad about avoiding his friend all day but he saw no other option as long as he had no clue how to deal with the situation.

He didn't want to break her heart but he knew he had to. He didn't want to make her false hopes nor did he want that she would seduce him again. He didn't know if the potion still affected him so he didn't want to risk anything. Keeping her at distance was the best solution.

If only he knew how to tell Sylvanas about the mistake he had made. He assumed she knew already that he was alive so she would come to him as soon as possible. The time he had to consider the perfect way to break the news gently to her was limited.

It was in the late evening as he walked from the training area to the barracks. He passed the first three barracks, walking straight to the fourth were his room was.

He stared at the full moon as he walked alongside the right shorter side of the uniform didn't really protect him from the cold air. He was exhausted from the daily work routine and the training he had done after he had returned to the base. He just wanted to take a shower and fall asleep in his bed.

He stopped as he noticed a person who was leaning against the wall. It was too dark to see who it was so he came closer until he recognized the person. It was no other than Elena. The female ranger had her arms crossed in front of her chest, her expression was neutral. He had expected that she would be angry at him. Or at least confused but her facial expression didn't give him any hint about how she was feeling at this very moment.

Elena's glowing eyes rested on him, her lips formed a thin line. She jumped away from the wall and walked to him slowly, her eyes didn't leave his. She stopped in front of him but didn't say anything. Nor did he. They stared into each other's eyes. Elena's facial expression didn't change but Kelrian's did. He raised an eyebrow, giving her a curious look.

"Why have you avoided me during the past days?" she asked eventually. Hurt was reflected by her eyes but Kelrian chose to ignore it and not comment on it.

"I didn't avoid you on purpose. I was busy" he lied. He didn't want to lie to her but he had no other choice if he didn't want to hurt her feelings. He knew he had to tell her the truth one day but he didn't want to do it on this day. He didn't know why but for some reason he wanted to wait for the perfect moment to tell her that he was not interested in her.

"Weird. For me, it seems that you didn't want to see me after the night we shared."

"Well, I was busy."

"You said that already," responded Elena and put her hands on her hips.

"And we work in different shifts so we can't spend much time together. I train most of the times when I'm not working. I couldn't train for almost two months, you know," he explained.

"Nevertheless, you could at least eat with me in the evening. You go to the dining room without telling me and leave whenever I come. Sometimes, you leave even though you haven't finished your meal. Tell me, why are you avoiding me!" she demanded and stepped closer to him. He backed off but she followed him, driving him backwards until his back came in contact with the wall of the opposite barrack. He couldn't escape her anymore.

"As I have told you already, I'm not avoiding you." Kelrian was good at many things but he had never been good at lying.

Elena's eyes narrowed. "I don't believe that for a second," she hissed.

Kelrian remained silent as she continued to stare into her eyes. He noticed the small tears in her eyes. "Did I do something wrong?" Her voice sounded weak and less confident than it had been before. She sounded whiny.

Kelrian shook his head but gave her no answer.

"What's the problem then?" she asked. Her voice sounded much stricter and more confident this time.

"I have a girlfriend, that's the problem."

Elena's voice reflected jealously. "Who is it?"

"What?"

"You heard me clearly,"

Kelrian sighed. "It's none of your business who she is. What matters is that she exists and I'm already in trouble when she finds out that we slept together. I don't want to make it worse and give her more reasons to be mad at me."

"I don't believe you. You told me years ago that you have a girlfriend but I never saw her nor did you introduce her to any of your friends. I think she doesn't exist and you have only made her up to use her as an excuse to not go out with know for years how I feel about you but you've always ignored my feelings. If I'm not beautiful enough for you, just say it."

Kelrian hesitated. "You are beautiful but you are nothing more than a friend to me. I told you this more than one three times but you refuse to believe it. It's not my fault that you can't accept that I'm not interested in you. I have a girlfriend if you believe it or not."

Elena didn't say anything in response. She chewed on her bottom lip, a thoughtful expression was visible on her face. Kelrian wanted to make a few steps to the side but the woman pinned him against the wall, preventing that he could walk away. She was stronger than he had expected. Strong enough to press him against the wall and prevent that he could get free. She stared into his eyes, he tried to avert his gaze but he couldn't.

He opened his mouth and tried to say something but he didn't get the chance to do that because a pair of lips were pressed against his the next moment. These lips prevented that any sound came out of his mouth. He didn't kiss her back but he didn't even try to fight her or push her away. He felt weak while she kissed him. He wanted to pull away and stop the kiss but he couldn't. His skin tingled, his heart was beating rapidly in his chest.

Kissing Elena felt wrong. He wanted to end the kiss but the woman pinned his arms against the wall. Not only his arms but also his entire body. He could feel her large breasts against his chest and her hips against his. He could feel that the area between her legs was rubbed against his upper thigh. She was very horny. But he wasn't.

He heard her quiet moans but also the quiet steps of a person. Someone was coming closer. He panicked and tried to push Elena away because he didn't want that anyone would see them. Once again, his body let him down so he didn't manage to gain the upper hand. The quiet steps felt the presence of a person and smelled a familiar scent. The peach perfume of a certain person who was very important to him.

Somehow, he managed to push Elena away. He turned his head, looking at the person who was too shocked to avert her gaze. Kelrian cursed under his breath as he recognized that the person was no other than Sylvanas. She stood there as if she had been struck by lightning. Her eyes reflected disbelief, hurt and betrayal.

"Sylvanas...I" but before Kelrian could finish his sentence, she had rushed to him and raised her hand. The palm of her hand came in contact with his cheek but not only with his. Elena also got hit by her, red marks could be seen on her cheek. Tears formed in Sylvanas' eyes as she ran away and left the stunned rangers behind her as fast as she could. She disappeared into the darkness before Kelrian could say anything.

* * *

He rubbed his closed eyes, running his fingers over his face. He could no longer listen to the complaints of his ally. He was tired of hearing his excuses and demands. The ally was not in the position for demanding anything but he still did it and that annoyed him.

If he wouldn't have been, his ally would have been captured by the Alliance. At this very moment, he was hoping the Alliance would have captured Zul'jin so he didn't need to deal with him anymore. Unfortunately, the troll had hidden long enough in his temple, so no one had captured him before the dragons had come to the troll's aid.

Orgrim Doomhammer wished they would have killed Zul'jin. Nothing Zul'jin had ever planned had worked out. He had been captured by the Alliance once and Doomhammer had lost many warriors to free the leader of the Amani trolls.

It hadn't paid out yet. The only thing the Amani had been good at was keeping the high elves busy but they didn't win against them. Zul'jin had one job and he kept failing over and over again.

Doomhammer opened his eyes and looked at the troll leader whose white hair was made to a mohawk. He noticed worry in the troll's eyes but also fear. He was afraid. Afraid of losing the one he loved the most. That person was his wife who had been kidnapped by the high elves.

At first, Doomhammer hadn't believed his advisors when they had told him that two of Zul'jin's prisoners had escaped and taken his right hand and his wife hostage. He had asked himself several times over the past years how incompetent Zul'jin must be. He had done a lot of mistakes since they became allies but he had never failed so hard as he had recently.

Not only had he told him too late that the high elves prepared an attack on Zul'Aman but also had he given them an important person they could use as leverage. He hadn't done it on purpose. Somehow, the elves had managed to take them hostage. It sounded absurd that two prisoners managed to escape on their own and take two relevant trolls hostage. But it had happened.

The Warchief of the Horde had often toyed with the idea of abandoning Zul'jin and let him fight the high elves alone. Zul'jin's incompetence just hindered him. He had to help him out all the time and whenever he did that, he lost too many soldiers only to save the troll's ass.

Doomhammer had come to the conclusion that Zul'jin was not worth all the loses. He was better without him and the few thousand soldiers he had left. Zul'jin had had tens of thousands of warriors once but most of them died during the past years. Only three to four thousand were left. Doomhammer had also lost lots of warriors but his remaining army was much larger than Zul'jin's.

_Shall the troll keep the high elves busy. Let's see how long he will hold out._

Doomhammer will abandon Zul'jin and attack the humans. That was his new plan. He still had the dragons but he was aware that the Alliance were trying to free them. It was possible that they could do that. He assumed that he had the dragons only for a limited time so he had to make the best out of it.

The forests of Quel'Thalas burned so did the fleets of the human kingdoms. His army had destroyed numerous villages and military bases but they hadn't conquered one of the capital cities yet. Silvermoon City was protected by a powerful magical barrier which had been erected by the high elves. Not to mention that there was something which weakened the power of his spellcasters. His mages, shamans and warlocks couldn't do much in the lands of the high elves. He could only send the dragons and his raiders to terrorize the civilians of Quel'Thalas.

His advisor Gul'dan had explained to him the reason why the magic of the spellcasters was heavily weakened. The warlock had described it as an invisible dome around Silvermoon City and Quel'Thalas which weakened any intruder who used magic to fight. Shamans, warlocks, mages, priests and all the other spellcasters were basically useless. He could still send them to fight the humans which he would do. If he couldn't conquer Silvermoon City then he would attack the capital city of Lordaeron.

His eyes stared into the yellow orbs of the troll."What do you want Zul'jin?" Doomhammer asked in common. He knew that Zul'jin's orcish was not very good so using the common language was the only way to communicate with him.

"I need ya help," Zul'jin responded and gave him a determined look.

"I expected that, so what do you want."

"De high elves stole ma wife and ma unborn child, I need ta get dem back."

Doomhammer raised an eyebrow. "What do you expect me to do?"

"Burn Quel'Thalas ta de ground and save dem."

"You know I can't do that as long as the barrier is intact."

Zul'jin came closer. "Den destroy deir villages and bases until dey surrender and let ma wife go."

"I destroyed most of their villages but the citizens took shelter in their capital city which I cannot attack. I can only attack the last remaining bases but that wouldn't change anything. There is nothing I can do for you," replied Doomhammer.

He didn't tell Zul'jin that he was sorry. First, because he didn't care about the troll and his family. Second, in his opinion, only the weak were sorry about things. And he was not weak. He was an orc, a proud and strong warrior who showed no mercy, had no regrets and was not sorry for anything.

"Dere must be somethin' ya can do. Ya agreed ta help me and ma people if I keep de elves busy which I did. Ya owe me dis."

Doomhammer gritted his teeth. "I have to do nothing and I don't owe you anything. I saved your useless ass weeks ago when the Alliance attacked your capital city. You and your clan would have died without my help. You are the one who owes me something. I saved you two times and I didn't get anything in return. You just had to do one thing. You just had to defeat the high elves but you failed again and again. You are useless. A useless piece of shit," he hissed.

Zul'jin's eyes narrowed, insults spoken in his native tongue escaped through his gritted teeth. He couldn't control the anger which was overwhelming him so he did the only thing which came in his mind. He stepped forward and intended to grab the Warchief of the Horde by his neck but the green-skinned orc was faster and grabbed his hands first. He held them, kicking the angry troll in the belly. A painful cry escaped Zul'jin's lips but he didn't stop. He managed to free his hands and attacked the Warchief again.

Doomhammer made a gesture, signalizing his guards to remain on their spots. The orcs nodded at him and remained where they stood, regarding the happening curiously. Neither Zul'jin or Doomhammer had weapons so they could only use their bare fists.

Zul'jin managed to land a few blows, knocking out one of the Warchief's teeth but for each hit he landed, he got hit two times in return. In the end, Zul'jin laid on the floor and writhed in pain. His face was bloody, a few ribs were broken but other than that he was fine. He was alive and he could be glad about that.

Doomhammer stood next to him, regarding him from above. He wiped the blood from his face, running a finger over his burst bottom lip. "You are on your own now. I wish you good luck. You will need it if you want to defend your people and rescue your wife. The Alliance will try to blackmail you. Either you fight or you surrender. It's up to you, Zul'jin. I don't need any useless allies like you. I will defeat the Alliance on my own, I don't need your help for that."

He regarded the leader of the Amani for a few moments, noticing the hatred in his eyes. He looked up to his guards, signalizing them to come closer. "Escort him back to Zul'Aman. I don't want to see him again. From now on, kill any troll who dares to enter our territories," he commanded.

The guards nodded to their leader and lifted the injured troll up. They dragged him out of the room and closed the door behind them. Doomhammer regarded the door for a few moments before he turned around and looked at his most important advisor.

The warlock looked up to him and came closer slowly. He was old, his back was bent and his skin was creasy **.** Large bones, which reminded Doomhammer of horns, stuck out of his back. Because of them and his age, he couldn't walk very fast.

"Do you think I made right the choice? Was it right to abandon Zul'jin and his people?" asked Doomhammer.

"This fool's incompetence cost us too many lives. We lost too many of our brothers and sisters because we had to help him. We are better without him," convincedGul'dan.

"I hope you are right, warlock."

Quiet laughter escaped Gul'dan's lips. "I'm always right. Always right about everything. I was the one who convinced Hellscream to make the deal with the demons. Thanks to their blood, we became much stronger than before. Nothing can stop us. The Alliance will fall. First the humans, then the dwarves and at last the elves. I will find a way to destroy their barriers and the dome which weakens our spellcasters. They can't hide forever."

"I trust you, warlock. I hope you won't disappoint me."

The corners of the warlock's lips formed an evil grin. "Don't worry, Warchief."

Doomhammer didn't respond to him. He turned around and walked to the huge table in the middle of the room. The regarded the map on the table and the figures on it. Gul'dan followed him but he needed much longer to reach the table. "We can't destroy Silvermoon City yet but we can attack Lordaeron. There is no barrier which can protect it forever. Lordaeron has no Sunwell which keeps their magical barriers up."

"Lordaeron is the perfect target. The high elves will be busy defeating the Amani trolls so they won't be able to help the humans. They won't be able to send a large army to them. They need every soldier they can get to defeat Zul'jin and the Amani. They might send a few thousand, maybe less but their troops won't matter.

The right time has come to destroy Lordaeron just like we did with Stormwind. That's another human kingdom we will leave in ruins," responded Gul'dan. An evil smile was visible on his chapped lips as he rubbed his hands in anticipation.

"Alright. I will prepare the attack then. You will tell Zuluhed the Whacked and his clan to join us. We will need the Dragonmaw clan and their dragons for the battle"

"When will we attack?" asked the warlock curiously.

"As soon as we can."


	41. The Mother

_Knock. Knock_.

"Come in", shouted a familiar voice. Sylvanas didn't hesitate to open the door and enter the room. She smiled as she saw her best friend sitting on her bed and reading a book. She put the book aside, standing up slowly. She threw her arms around Sylvanas' shoulders and hugged her carefully. Her wounds hadn't fully healed yet so she remained careful because she didn't want to cause unnecessary pain for herself.

Sylvanas regarded her from head to toe after she had pulled away. Verena wore a sleeveless shirt and short pants so her muscular arms and legs were exposed but also the numerous scars which decorated her arms. Sylvanas' eyes rested on her legs for a few moments before she stared into the woman's face which had much more colour than the last time she had seen her. There was one thing which had changed significantly.

Her hair.

Verena's once blonde hair had been cut short and dyed crimson red. Sylvanas had to admit she looked good. The new hairstyle suited her.

"I like the way you look," complimented Sylvanas. She received a grin from her ex. "I like your look too."

"I haven't changed anything."

"That's why I like it," responded Verena. She put a hand on Sylvanas' cheek and caressed it carefully.

"You would like my look no matter how long or short my hair would be, which colour it would have or what I would wear."

Verena grinned. "I prefer it when you wear something which reveals much of your skin."

Sylvanas rolled her eyes, tapping Verena's shoulder playfully. "Pervert."

Verena didn't say anything in response. She just grinned at her best friend while she stared at her.

A gentle smile appeared on Sylvanas' lips. She sighed. "I'm just glad you made it. I wouldn't know what to do if I would have lost you."

"I'm glad I survived. Priestess Liadrin told me that I was close to death. She couldn't explain how I managed to survive. Some call it luck, others call it fate. I think it was my unbreakable will to survive which saved my ass. I didn't want to leave the world before I could give you one last kiss."

"I'm also glad you survived," spoke Sylvanas, caressing Verena's cheek with the back of her hand. She ran her fingers through her hair, toying with a few strands. "Your hair is so soft," she mentioned.

"I'm using a new hair shampoo which guarantees that the new colour lasts longer."

"What does your girlfriend say to your new hair?" Sylvanas asked curiously.

"She likes it."

Sylvanas smiled at her best friend. "Has she visited you during the past months?"

"She did a couple of times but she couldn't visit me very often because she had to help to evacuate the citizens. She remained in the south of Quel'Thalas for weeks, helping the civilians to get their things together and flee before the orcs would devastate their homes."

"I heard she did a good job. Elonis is a very brave and reliable ranger. You can be proud of her and lucky to have her in your regiment and as your girlfriend," spoke Sylvanas.

"I'm very lucky indeed. The healers thought I wouldn't make it but I survived. I was in a relationship for ten years with the most beautiful woman in the world and I'm still friends with her after we broke up. But I'm not living in the past. I accepted that you are interested in men so I looked out for a woman who loves me the same you loved me once. And I found her."

Sylvanas smiled at her. "I can see why you like her."

Verena's lips formed a provocative smirk. "I definitely have a fetish for blonde busty women," she told. Her eyes wandered and rested on Sylvanas' cleavage. Sylvanas noticed where her friend was looking at but she didn't say anything. She didn't even cross her arms in front of her chest. Instead, she allowed Verena to ogle her.

Verena hadn't been able to do much during the past two months except for lying in the hospital bed and wait that her wounds would be healed. Most of her wounds had been healed completely, but some had left scars behind. Sylvanas knew the past months had been boring for Verena because she couldn't join the other rangers to evacuate the citizens of Quel'Thalas. She wanted to brighten up Verena's mood, so she tolerated her staring.

"Do you have something to eat or drink here?" asked Sylvanas after a while.

"Just wine and a few apples in a bowl," responded the red-haired woman.

"Would you mind if I drink a few glasses?" asked Sylvanas.

"Of course, not."

"Where are your bottles?"

Verena pointed at a small cupboard. "There must be a few bottles and glasses."

Sylvanas walked over to the cupboard, bending down as she opened it. She regarded Verena's wide selection of wines for a few moments before she took the bottle which appealed to her the most. It was a noble wine which had ripened for almost thirty years.

Sylvanas regarded the bottle for a few moments before she opened it with a corkscrew and poured the dark red liquid into two glasses. She walked over to Verena and handed one glass to her while she brought the other to her lips. She took a sip so did Verena.

"I'm glad that you survived the battle without getting injured," said Verena after she had emptied her first glass.

"Well...," began Sylvanas but she was interrupted by Verena who regarded her with widened eyes. She knew exactly what Sylvanas wanted to say. "Where?" she asked.

Sylvanas lifted her shirt a little, exposing her stomach. There was a thin but long line of scab which started next to her navel and stopped barely beneath her right breast. Verena didn't hesitate to carefully run her fingertips over the line. "What happened?" she asked. Her voice reflected worry even though there was nothing she had to be worried about. Sylvanas was safe and sat right in front of her.

"A berserker's sword grazed my skin and damaged my chest guard. The armour was not firm enough to stop the blade so it came dangerously close to my breast. You don't need to worry, it's not the worst injury I've suffered since I became a ranger. Remember the time where I almost lost two fingers."

"I remember that. I'm glad you didn't lose them. Nor did you lose one of your perfect breasts. You will need your fingers if you want to have me back one day. Not to mention your breasts are a feast to everyone's eyes. Especially to mine."

Sylvanas didn't say anything in return. She just took another large sip, emptying her glass. Verena didn't hesitate to refill her glass. The red-head scrutinized Sylvanas' face for a few moments before her eyes fell back on her upper body.

Verena tilted her head. The face she made and her widened eyes let Sylvanas' assume that something had come in her mind. "Can I see the wound again?"

Sylvanas' raised an eyebrow. "Do you just ask that so you can ogle my flat belly once again?"

Verena's lips were pressed together to a thin line. This time, she had a serious expression on her face. "No for real, I think I just noticed something you are not aware of."

The Ranger-General gave her a questioning look. "What are you talking about?"

"About your _flat_ belly" responded the smaller elf.

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow. "Why are you stressing the word like that? You know my belly is always flat no matter how much I eat. It's a wonder that I never get additional weight whenever we are celebrating something."

"There might be something we have to celebrate but I'm not sure if you will like it," responded Verena quietly.

"You are speaking in riddles. Can you just tell me what you want or are you trying to confuse me?"

Verena tilted her head, staring into Sylvanas' sky-blue eyes. "Just lift your shirt or I'll tie you to my bed and do it myself."

Sylvanas sighed and did as her best friend requested. She did even more than Verena had asked for and removed her shirt entirely. She was still wearing her black bra so Verena couldn't see too much. She had expected that Verena had used the scab as an excuse to ogle her breasts so it really surprised her that the eyes of the perverted elf didn't rest on her ample bosom. They rested on her belly but she had no clue why.

Sylvanas lowered her gaze but her large breasts prevented that she could regard her belly from above. That was one of the few disadvantages of a large cleavage. She had to change her position to be able to look at the nearly healed wound. She laid on her side and lifted her upper body a little. Now she was able to see it perfectly.

"I can't see what should be wrong with my belly," spoke Sylvanas after she had regarded her belly for a few moments.

Verena didn't say anything in return. She just put her hands on her friend's belly. She rubbed her belly carefully, poked it a little and even wrapped her arms around it.

An annoyed sigh escaped Sylvanas' lips. "I knew it. You just wanted to touch me, you little filthy pervert."

Verena knew these words weren't meant serious. She also knew Sylvanas had just said them to make fun of her so she didn't feel insulted by them. She looked up, giving the blonde beauty a serious look. Sylvanas' smile vanished. "Would you already tell me what you might have spotted? Is there a tattoo I'm not aware of?"

Sylvanas' half-joke didn't cause that Verena's expression changed. "When was the last time you bled?"

"Excuse me?" Sylvanas' raised an eyebrow, an irritated expression appeared on her face.

"You heard me correctly, Sylvanas. When did you have your period the last time?"

Sylvanas frowned. "Why do you ask?"

"Your belly is a little swollen. I don't think you have an illness so you either have gained weight or you are..."

"Pregnant...," completed Sylvanas quietly. Her eyes reflected disbelief as she stared at a random spot on the wall behind Verena.

Verena nodded her head, her eyes still rested on her friend's face. Sylvanas' facial expression was a mix of shock and surprise. Her mind was blank. She didn't know what to think or how she should react. She couldn't be pregnant. That was not possible. She had always taken the pill whenever she had slept with Kelrian. There was no way she was carrying a little foetus in her belly. Kelrian might have released his load inside her whenever they had made love but she had always taken a birth control pill right after they had been finished.

"You must be mistaken. I cannot be pregnant. I took the pill whenever Kelrian and I did it."

"You know that the pill does not always work, right? The chance is very low but it exists."

"Not the ones I buy. The alchemists had proved they prevent pregnancy to one hundred percent."

"Maybe you forgot to take them one day or...," Verena stopped speaking as she saw Sylvanas' eyes becoming wider than they already were.

"Oh..." was the only word which escaped Sylvanas' perfect lips. A look of realization appeared on her face.

Verena raised an eyebrow, giving her friend questioning look. She expected that Sylvanas would give her an explanation but instead, she started to sob. Verena frowned but she didn't hesitate to hug her friend and put her head on her shoulder, running her fingers through her blonde mane.

"Shhhh, Sylvie. There is no reason to cry. I know a pregnancy during a war is inopportune but in general it's a good thing. You said you always wanted to have a child with the right one."

"I'm no longer sure if he is the right one. Not after what he did."

Verena frowned but she didn't stop comforting Sylvanas as best as she could. "What happened?"

A loud sob escaped Sylvanas' lips. "I caught him kissing Elena."

Verena was silent at first. She hugged Sylvanas tightly, even though the close body contact caused pain to her because her wounds weren't fully healed yet. She ignored the jealousy which built up in her and comforted Sylvanas as best as she could. She could stir up Sylvanas against Kelrian which could result in a break-up. That would just play into Verena's hands because she wanted to get Sylvanas back but it didn't feel right to manipulate her friend while she was an emotional mess.

So many things had happened during the past months. The crushing defeat in Zul'Aman. Finding out that Verena was mortally wounded and almost died. The disappearance of Kelrian and Elena. The news about their reappearance. And then seeing him kissing her. Or had she kissed him? Sylvanas was not sure about that. She was not sure about many things had happened recently. It was impossible for Sylvanas to process everything inwardly.

"Did he kiss her or did she kiss him? You know she really likes him and with really I mean REALLY!"

Sylvanas didn't respond to her. She was asking herself the same question. It had been too dark. She had only seen them for a short moment. They had kissed but she had no clue who initiated the kiss nor did she know if Kelrian had wanted it. She remembered that he had pushed her away. Maybe he hadn't wanted this. She knew Kelrian for over a decade so she should be convinced he would never cheat on her but for a reason, she was not sure about that anymore.

She felt insecure and didn't know what was right or wrong. Maybe she felt so weird because she was indeed pregnant or because the defeat against the trolls and orcs had left marks on her psyche. Maybe that was the reason why she had recently started to doubt her decisions.

She had no clue what was going on. It was all too much for her. She needed a break. Needed time for herself to think about everything. She would love to storm out of the room and lock herself in her room and never come out again. At least not until she wouldn't have figured out what was wrong with her.

But she didn't do it because she knew she had responsibilities and duties she couldn't ignore. She had to make her soldiers ready for battle for the case Vereesa and the human mage would find a way to free the dragons. She had to lead their people to victory this time. Everyone counted on her. The pressure seemed too much for the moment but she knew she would handle it as soon as she would calm down.

Verena comforted her. She caressed her back, ran her fingers through her hair and did other things while she spoke soothing words in her ears. Sylvanas stopped sobbing eventually, pulling back as soon as she felt more secure. She saw Verena smiling at her. Verena was a good friend. A true friend. Her best friend.

She could have taken advantage of Sylvanas' insecurity and stir her up against Kelrian. She could have caused that she would break up with him. It could have been possible that Sylvanas would consider coming back to Verena if she would have said the right words. But she hadn't done that for a reason. She couldn't explain to herself why she hadn't convinced Sylvanas that men were pigs and that she was the only person who could make her truly happy.

Verena regretted it at first but the longer she stared into Sylvanas' eyes the more she got convinced that she had done the right thing. Sylvanas wouldn't be happy with her, at least not in the long run. But with Kelrian she would be. As long as her assumption was right that he hadn't kissed Elena. She knew Kelrian well enough so she was convinced he hadn't initiated the kiss. She just needed to convince Sylvanas that he didn't do it but first she had to find out what had really happened.

She took Sylvanas' face in her hands, caressing her cheeks. "Having a child is something big, Sylvie. I'm so happy for you. I know it's not the ideal time to be pregnant but everything will turn out well. I believe Kelrian didn't cheat on you. It has to be Elena who kissed him. You just have to meet him and talk to him. He is an honest person, so he wouldn't lie to you. I will accompany you if you want."

Sylvanas returned her smile, giving her a thankful nod. Her eyes were red from crying and she looked nervous but she wasn't overtaxed and confused anymore. Her insecurity hadn't completely vanished but she felt better thanks to her best friend who will always support her no matter what will happen.

"You are right," Sylvanas said eventually. "I know Kelrian for over a decade. I saw him kissing Elena but it doesn't have to mean he cheated on me. It's not unlikely that she initiated the kiss. I have to talk to him but not now. I need a few days to think about everything. Then I will speak to him."

"Take your time, my dear but don't forget that the war can proceed at any time. The orcs and their dragons have retreated but I'm sure they will attack soon. I just hope that your sister manages to free the dragons. The sooner she manages that, the earlier we can gather our forces and attack the trolls. You might not be able to speak to Kelrian before the war continues if you wait for too long," reminded the red-head.

Sylvanas gave her a thankful nod, leaning in to place a long-lasting kiss on Verena's forehead. The smaller woman blushed a little as the Ranger-General pulled away and regarded her.

"I know one thing for sure," said Sylvanas.

"Hmm?" Verena raised an eyebrow.

"I will participate in the war as long as I can. I'll fight no matter what. It's my duty as Ranger-General. As long as my pregnancy is not clearly visible, I'll fight for the Alliance. Don't try to change my opinion and don't tell anyone. I will tell my parents and my family once I can't hide it anymore. I don't know how long the war will endure but I'm pretty sure you and my sisters will lead our people to victory in my absence."

"Maybe the war will end before the birth,"

"Maybe," replied the blonde.

"You should do a pregnancy test just to be sure. I mean the signs are clear but you never know."

Sylvanas nodded. "I haven't bled for over two months. I had sex with Kelrian the day before the siege. That was two and a half month ago so I guess I'm pregnant. That could only mean that the pill Alleria had given me hadn't worked. That's the low chance you have spoken about. The chance that such a pill doesn't prevent impregnation."

Sylvanas didn't sound euphoric but she was not dismayed that she was most likely expecting a child. She still couldn't think clearly but she was pretty sure she would be happy about it once she had ordered her thoughts and calmed down. She was asking herself if Kelrian would be happy to have a child with her.

She needed to talk to him. She needed to find out what really happened, then she could debate if she should tell him or wait a few more weeks. Everyone would see her swollen belly sooner or later so she couldn't keep it secret for too long. But she had to speak to Kelrian first and then she would figure out what to do.

Verena put her hand on Sylvanas' belly, caressing it carefully. "I will always support you. Don't forget that."

Sylvanas smiled happily. "I will never forget it. Thank you, Verena. Thank you for everything."

* * *

The corridor they were following was long but so thin that they had to walk one after the other. They were in a dark cave inside a very large mountain. The small group had the mission to free the Dragon Queen, the leader of the Red Dragonflight and her children so the orcs would no longer be able to terrorize the natives of Azeroth with their help. Vereesa, several of her rangers and several dwarves were accompanying the human mage Rhonin Redhair on his mission. The leader of this small group of dwarves was Falstad Wildhammer, a brave and strong warrior.

The group made careful steps as they slowly moved forward, not wanting that anyone would hear them. It was not unlikely that a false step would create an echo which would warn the numerous orcs who were occupying the mountain and the lair of the Dragon Queen and her children.

The group left the uneven corridor behind them and entered a much larger part of the cave. They hid behind a pillar, checking their surroundings quickly. There were dozens of orcs. Some of them stood still or walked, some of them sat on the backs of large wolves while others sat on red dragons.

The size of the orcs was nothing compared to the size of the gigantic creature which laid in the middle of this part of the cave. It was the largest dragon any member of the group had ever seen. The dragon's body was covered by red scales, she had massive wings, a very long tail and massive horns on her head. She had a collar around her neck which was connected with many chains which were tied to massive pillars. That way the dragon couldn't escape, especially because powerful spells had been cast on the chains. There was also a magical artefact which allowed the orcs to control the dragons.

No member of the small group had ever seen such a magnificent dragon before. They were pretty sure that this dragon was no other than the Dragon Queen Alexstrasza. They had to free her but that wouldn't be easy because there were so many orcs who guarded her.

Rhonin took a closer look at the Dragon Queen. Her head rested on the floor, her eyes were opened but reflected nothing but sadness. She wasn't very happy. Nobody would enjoy being forced to reproduce and give their spawn to the orcs who would use them to bring death and destruction to the natives of Azeroth.

Many of her children died for the orc's plan. Losing one child after the other hurt her emotionally. She sensed whenever one of her children was killed by the members of the Alliance who just defended themselves. She was suffering.

There were several wounds on the right side of her body which had been inflicted by the orcs whenever she had resisted them and disobeyed their orders. But all her efforts and attempts to get free had failed. In the end, the magical artefact known as the Demon Soul had forced her to do whatever the orcs wanted from her.

Rhonin turned his head to look at his group, receiving nods from them. They sneaked to the next pillar and hid behind it. Then they moved to the next pillar and checked their surroundings once again. They noticed that half of the orcs, which had lingered in this part of the cave a few minutes ago, were gone. Something caught his attention as he thought about what to do.

There was a disc which one of the orcs held in its hands. It was a male who wore a black robe, had a bald head and a goatee beard. He was holding the disc in front of the dragon, speaking a few sentences in common. Not even Vereesa who had the best hearing was able to understand what the orc was saying. He was too far away and muttered too quietly.

The Dragon Queen lifted her head slowly, regarding the orc for a few moments before she stood up. She waited until the orcs had undone the chains from the surrounding pillars, then she started to move. Her chains were dragged over the floor as she followed the orc with the disc. Vereesa could see it in her eyes that she didn't want to follow the orc. But she had no other choice because the Demon Soul forced her to obey the orc known as Nekros Skullcrusher.

The sounds which were produced when the chains were dragged over the ground were horrible. It hurt the ears of each member of the small group but it was worse for the elves who had to press their hands on their ears to prevent that they might bleed. Fortunately for them, Rhonin cast a spell which muffled the surrounding noises so the elves didn't need to do that anymore. This meant they could fully focus on the battle if they had to fight.

Half of the remaining orcs followed the Dragon Queen, meaning only a dozen were left in the room. Half of them were dragon riders so Rhonin assumed that it wouldn't end well for them if they would attack them. He had a mission so he couldn't risk that his group would get roasted by the flames of these dragons. He looked at Vereesa as he muttered a few words and started to cast his spell. She nodded to him, giving him a small smile. He returned the smile while he focused on his spell.

He succeeded, creating a dome around the group. The dome reflected the light so no one could see them. They still could be heard so the group made careful steps. One of Vereesa's rangers stepped on a small stone, a quiet noise was produced as the stone was crushed by her foot. None of the orcs heard it but the dragons did. They lifted their heads, looking around for any intruder. They didn't see anyone so they lowered their heads after a while.

The group had walked through this part of the cave in the meantime and followed the path the orcs and the Dragon Queen had taken. After quite some time, they came to a large plateau outside the cave. There was the Dragon Queen, lying in the middle of the plateau while Nekros was standing next to her and looked up at the sky as if he was waiting for someone. But no one came. The chains had been attached to the pillars which stood near the edge of the plateau.

There were no dragons among those who guarded Alexstrasza. There were only orcs. Five of them sat on massive wolves while the others had no mounts. Nekros was walking circles around the dragon, impatience was reflected by his face. He was nervous and mistrustful.

He stopped dead in his tracks as an arrow hit him in the left shoulder. He cried out in pain, accidentally dropping the yellow amulet. The Demon Soul didn't get damaged but it was thrown through the air after Rhonin had cast an arcane spell. The powerful object landed far away from Nekros. But it was not far away from Rhonin.

The red-haired mage didn't hesitate to rush towards the disc. Nekros did the same but Rhonin hit him with an arcane blast, causing that he was pushed away. The orc landed on the floor, writhing in pain. Rhonin reached the disc after a few moments. He tried to figure out how it worked as he regarded it.

He turned his head as he heard a loud grunt. He spotted an orc with a massive axe who come closer to him. He turned around, casting a spell but it was too late. The orc was faster than expected and would have attacked him if someone wouldn't have bashed him away with one blow.

It was the Dragon Queen herself who had saved Rhonin's life. Without the Demon Soul in his hands, Nekros had no longer the control over her which meant she was free. A loud roar escaped her lips. It was so loud that everyone covered their ears with their hands immediately. Everyone was stunned by the loud roar so the fight stopped. Alexstrasza didn't hesitate to turn to the remaining orcs and set them on fire.

Loud and painful cries escaped their lips as they threw themselves on the floor and tried to extinguish the flames, without success. Their deaths were horrible but fast. Nothing but ashes were left after the flames were done with them. The smell of burned flesh stung in the air. There was only one orc left who hadn't come in contact with the flames of the Dragon Queen.

Nekros Skullcrusher laid on the floor, his eyes were widened and fear started to overwhelm him as Alexstrasza rose up in front of tried to get up and run away but the Dragon Queen was faster and devoured him alive before he could do anything.

Rhonin regarded her for a few moments, then he took a certain object out of his bag. It was a gemstone created from a scale of the black dragon Deathwing. It was pretty sharp so the mage thrust it in the disc, causing that it cracked. He wanted to destroy it so it could never be used against the Dragon Queen again. He pushed it deeper in the disc, destroying it in the process. An explosion was unleashed as the disc was destroyed, causing that Rhonin was flung through the air and collided with one of the pillars.

Waves of pain rushed through Rhonin's body as he tried to get up. His entire body hurt so he decided to not move as long as the pain endured. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw someone running towards him. It was Vereesa whose face reflected worry. She bowed down next to him, regarding him. "Rhonin, are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

He nodded his head weakly. "I'm fine, I guess. My body just hurts but it won't hurt forever."

"Too bad our healer died days ago," spoke Falstad as he came closer. There was a strong accent in his voice.

"Trust me, I'm fine. I just need some time to recover," spoke Rhonin. His gaze shifted from the fearless dwarf to the disquiet high elf. Vereesa helped him to get into a comfortable sitting position. He smiled at her but didn't say anything. Nor did she.

He knew he would talk to her as soon as they would be back in Dalaran. He had really enjoyed her company over the past weeks. There was a special chemistry between him and the elf. He really liked her. She was a very interesting person. She had been very shy when they had met for the first time but that shyness had vanished as they had gotten known to each other over the time.

He was not sure how she felt about him but he wanted to get known to her. He wanted to spend more time with her. Alone. When nobody else was around them and when they wouldn't be on a mission. He was hoping she felt the same for him.

The group turned their heads as they noticed that the Dragon Queen came closer. She lowered her head until it was in Rhonin's reach. He stretched his arm out without hesitation, touching the dragon's forehead. He caressed it carefully, feeling that the pain vanished slowly. His wounds were healed and the pain vanished completely in the process. He got up eventually and thanked the Dragon Queen.

"No, I am the one who has to thank you," said the Dragon Aspect. "Without you, I would have forced to serve these creatures forever. They would have continued to take my brood away from me and use them for their selfish goals. Several dozen of my children died within the past months only because the orcs want to conquer territories that are not theirs."

Vereesa made a step closer to the Dragon Queen, lifting her chin so she could have a better look at her. "I'm sorry that my people killed so many of your children. We didn't want to kill them but we had no other choice... I'm just glad that this madness is over now. I'm deeply sorry for your losses."

Alexstrasza lowered her head, nodding at the high elf. "I'm not mad at you. Your people just defended themselves. I understand that. It still hurts to lose so many of my children, especially because lots of them were very young when they died. Wherever they are, I can feel them. I can feel when they get injured, suffer in pain or die. The past months had not been pleasant for me."

"Every captured dragon will rebel against their masters and return to you soon. I hope as many of them as possible will return to you alive," said Rhonin.

"I hope the same."

"What will you do now?" the mage asked curiously.

"I felt the presence of a once good friend who betrayed me and the other Aspects. Neltharion is in the near which can only mean that he is up to something. I have to find out what he is planning," replied Alexstrasza.

"He saved me several times and gave me the gem to destroy the Demon Soul," told Rhonin. A confused expression appeared on his face. "Are you sure he is not on your side? He wouldn't have helped me to free you if he would be against you."

"I know this is confusing but Neltharion didn't support you to help me. He doesn't care about me. He must have a plan which requires my freedom, otherwise, he wouldn't have helped you. I must find out what he is planning and stop him."

"Are you sure it is a good idea to confront him now? It seems that the captivity has weakened you." Worry was reflected by Rhonin's gentle features.

"A portion of my strength returned when you destroyed the Demon Soul. I'm not able to fight him on my own. Fortunately, I'm not alone," responded the red dragon. She lifted her head and looked in the air. Rhonin and his group did the same, spotting a yellow, a green and a blue dragon in the sky. They were as large as the Dragon Queen and as mighty as her.

"Don't worry about me. We will handle Neltharion and foil his evil plans. You should return to your people and fight the ones who are trying to do harm to them. My brood and I will drive the orcs out of the mountain and reclaim it as ours. I thank you for your service and hope we will meet again one day," spoke the Dragon Queen. She regarded the mortals for a few moments and gave them a thankful nod. She waited until they had said goodbye to her, then she rose in the air and followed the other dragons.

Vereesa's gaze rested on them until they disappeared out of her sight. She turned her head as she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Rhonin's hand. The red-head couldn't help but smile at her. "We did it. I never thought we would manage to rescue the Dragon Queen. Nobody in Dalaran believed we could rescue her but we did it."

Vereesa returned his smile. "My sister will be delighted when I'll tell her that the dragons will no longer be a problem for us. We can attack the trolls again and win this time. Not to mention that we can support Lordaeron once we have captured Zul'jin."

"I will ask the Kirin Tor to send more mages to Lordaeron. The time has come to make these green creatures pay for everything they have done to your and my people. To yours too, Falstad," responded Rhonin.

The dwarf nodded at him so did the high elf lieutenant.

"We should go," said Falstad.

Rhonin nodded. "Indeed, we should. Give me a few minutes. I will create a portal to Dalaran quickly."

Vereesa smiled at him. "Take your time. I don't want to land in one of the city's fountains. Not again."

"Hey, that only happened once by accident because you distracted me."

Vereesa chuckled. "I know and I'm still sorry. Just bring us to a safe place, will you?"

"I will do everything for you, Lady Windrunner," responded the charming mage.

Vereesa's cheeks reddened a little. She didn't need to look at her rangers to know they have noticed the slight flirting which was going on between her and Rhonin. Falstad had noticed it too but he didn't care. He just looked at the mage who was busy casting his spell. He completed it after a few minutes, creating a portal which was large enough that two persons could step through it at the same time.

Vereesa's rangers stepped through it first, then Falstad and his buddies followed them. Rhonin stood next to the portal, stretching his arm out. Vereesa didn't hesitate to put her hand in his. He caressed the back of her hand for a few moments as he stared into her eyes. She did the same. The muffled painful cries of the orcs in the mountain brought them out of their thoughts. Vereesa blushed so did Rhonin. He muttered a few words, then he guided her through the portal, closing it behind him.

They came out in Dalaran which was known for its powerful mages who were trained from a young age. Vereesa turned her head, checking their surroundings. They were in a public square in the middle of the city. It was already dark so only a few creatures were still out there.

She spotted a familiar high elf mage. Her name was Alina Flowerbringer. Vereesa had heard rumours about her and Prince Kael'thas. Most quel'dorei women wouldn't say no to a relationship with the second most famous man of Quel'Thalas. Kael'thas was a very handsome and charming man. Even Vereesa had once admired him.

She still liked him but there was another man who had caught her interest. A man who wasn't loved by more than ninety percent of the female quel'dorei. A man who was also very intelligent and very charming.

Vereesa turned her head and looked at that man. Rhonin was smiling at her but didn't say anything. He was still holding her hand but she didn't mind that. Nor did she mind that her rangers were seeing that.

They stared at each other for a few moments, not minding that the rangers and the dwarves were watching them. They would have left already but they had to wait for their superiors' orders. Vereesa dismissed her rangers eventually and Falstad and his friends said goodbye to them and walked towards the nearest tavern.

Vereesa watched them leaving then he turned her head to look at Alina. She had to admit she was beautiful. Much more beautiful than the average female quel'dorei. Her beauty even rivalled Sylvanas'. She had long midnight-blue coloured hair, high cheekbones, a cute nose and full lips. She was busty and had a slim figure. Vereesa regarded her from head to toe. She understood why Prince Kael'thas might have chosen her as his lover. If the rumours were true.

Alina was sitting on a bench and talking to a mage Vereesa knew pretty well. It was the asshole of her ex. Dar'Khan Drathir. She had been together with him for seven months before she had found out that he had cheated on her with her once best friend.

She had broken up with him and hadn't seen her once best friend since she had hit her in the face. It had hurt her at first but these days she was glad that she had made this experience. Since then, she was more careful and got known to a man first before she went out with him.

She knew Rhonin for a couple of weeks. She didn't know everything about him but she had spent enough time with him to know that he was a good guy. He was very smart, funny and brave. She liked him and she was pretty sure he liked her as well.

"Do you want to drink something with me?" asked Rhonin. "I would like to celebrate the success of our mission with you."

Vereesa smiled. "I would love that."

"Where do you want to go? To the local tavern or to a much quieter place where we can talk in private?"

"I would prefer a quieter place," responded the silver-haired woman.

Rhonin nodded, a happy smile appeared on his lips. "Follow me then."

Vereesa chuckled. "You are still holding my hand so I guess I have no other choice than following you."

Rhonin's cheeks became as red as the colour of his hair. "Oh... I forgot about that. I'm sorry."

Vereesa still smiled at him. "You don't need to be sorry. I don't mind holding your hand."

"I'm glad about that then," replied the mage. He regarded her for a few moments before he turned around and left the square with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't read the book "Day of the Dragon" so I have no clue how the rescue scene was depicted there. I just made my own version and hope it is good enough.


	42. The Prison of Silvermoon

_Screams and cries for help and mercy echoed through the air. Jangling sounds were produced when steel clashed against steel. When weapons met other weapons or metal armours. Painful cries escaped the soldiers' lips when they were wounded. Blood was spilt. Bones, noses and jaws were broken. Arms and legs were separate. Heads too. People were mutilated. People were heavily injured. People were killed._

_Soldiers cried out in pain. Soldiers begged to all gods they knew, hoping one of them would save them. Soldiers thought about their loved ones before they received the final blow from an enemy. Soldiers were slaughtered like cattle._

_Soldiers from both sides died quick deaths but there were others which weren't that 'lucky'. Some of them bled to death slowly. The innards of others were spread all over the ground but they were still alive. They endured terrible torments. Either they were released from their suffering by an enemy or they died a slow and painful death._

_And then there was the fire._

_The fire was everywhere. It came out of the snouts of massive winged beasts. It ignited the ground, the wooden houses of the trolls and everything in them. Trees were set on fire. The furs of animals caught fire and their bodies were consumed by the flames. Trolls couldn't stand against the fire. High elves, dwarves and humans also died in the flames. The flames didn't spare children, women and old men and women. Not even one of his friends who had been standing not far away from him. The fire consumed them all. Everyone it came in contact with._

_It consumed groups of soldiers within a short amount of time. Entire armies. Even territories, villages, cities and entire nations. It was merciless. It didn't spare anyone. Not even his family, his friends and his lover. Melted faces and bodies were all that was left of the persons he once knew._

_Not even Sylvanas was spared. Nothing but ashes was left of her. Her once beautiful face and her perfect body were turned to ashes and scattered by the wind. The fire had consumed all but him. He was the only creature left on a planet which was nothing more than a dull place where no life existed anymore._

_No forests. No mountains. No stretches of waters. No buildings. No cities. No kingdoms. No inhabitants._

_He was alone on a dead planet. All the persons he once knew were dead. There was no one he could spend time with. No one he could talk to or do things with. No one he could love._

_He turned around, noticing the evil entity in front of him. It was the one who took everyone and everything from him. His family, his friend and the love of his life. It was a large flame with the shape of a humanoid creature. There were two red glowing eyes in its face and a big mouth with sharp teeth. It smiled at him as it came closer._

_He backed off but the creature was faster, reaching him within a few seconds. He couldn't prevent that it touched his face. Its touch was hot. Too hot. The pain he felt was immense. He couldn't think clearly. He couldn't do anything. He knew the creature would melt his face and he knew he couldn't prevent it. He just hoped it would be over soon._

He woke up with a start, hitting his head against something. He rubbed his hurting forehead, noticing his head was warm. Fortunately, not too warm. His body was not as hot as it had been in his dream. There was no creature around him which wanted to consume him.

He turned his head, noticing that his forehead had come in contact with the slanted ceiling of the guest room in which he had spent the night for a few days.

Everything was alright. He was not about to die in a horrible way. There was no creature which wanted to melt his face with its bare hands. He was not alone on Azeroth. Most of his friends were still alive so was Sylvanas. There was no reason to panic.

Nevertheless, his heart was beating rapidly in his chest. His pulse and his heartbeat returned to normal after a few minutes. It had just been a freaking nightmare. But it had been much worse than the nightmares he had had the previous days. He had dreamed that some of his friends had died. He had dreamed that Elena had gotten raped by trolls and he had dreamed that his father had done unspeakable things to his mother. Rape was the most harmless thing he had done to her.

But everything had just been a horrible nightmare. His mother was alright. Elena was alright and had never been sexually assaulted by trolls. Sylvanas was alright too and his father was still locked in his cell. The only thing which was not alright was the fact that he had nightmares whenever he slept.

He could see the flames consuming his comrades whenever he closed his eyes. He hadn't gotten much sleep the previous days. He felt horrible. The lack of sleep was really gnawing on his strength.

He didn't know how long he could hold out. He wouldn't be useful in a battle if he would be really tired and could barely keep an eye open.

He had to speak with someone about it. He had to find a solution. He had to find a way to deal with the nightmares. Otherwise, they will be his demise.

* * *

Kelrian walked through the streets of Silvermoon City which were fuller than usual. Since the evacuation of the towns and villages, many inhabitants who had survived live in Silvermoon. The capital city was not large enough to accommodate everyone so provisional camps had been erected in and outside the city.

There was a magical barrier which was wrapped around the city and the camps around it. Tens of thousands lived in tents while the others lived in the free rooms of the taverns, houses and communal residences. Lots of citizens had been brought to Lordaeron, Gilneas, Ironforge or Stromgarde. They would live there as long as the orcs would still be a threat.

The dragons may no longer be a problem for the Alliance of Lordaeron but that didn't mean the population of Quel'Thalas was safe. The orcs could return at any moment and spread fear and terror. The Farstriders hadn't had the time to rebuild their shattered defensive constructions yet, so the remaining villages and towns were defenceless until the fortresses, bases, walls and other defensive structures had been rebuilt.

But Kelrian was pretty sure the civilians will be able to return to their homes soon. Without the dragons, the Horde was a lot weaker. He had heard rumours that the orcs were preparing an attack on Lordaeron. If that would turn out to be true, the high elves could attack the Amani trolls in the meantime. Then they could help the humans and dwarves against the orcs.

It sounded pretty simple but it was the entire contrary. Kelrian knew that lots of people will die during the upcoming battles. He didn't know how long this war will endure. He could only hope it would end as soon as possible.

Since the liberation of the dragons,the balance of power had shifted back to the side of the that didn't mean the war was won. It looked better than before for the Alliance but who knew which ace the orcs would have in their sleeves this time.

Nothing was guaranteed but the Alliance will give their best to be victorious. They will fight by any means and do everything in their power to defeat the orcs. Kelrian was not afraid, he was just concerned about what the future will hold. He was an optimist so he hoped everything will turn out well.

He also hoped that Sylvanas will forgive him one day. He hadn't initiated the kiss nor had he asked for getting kissed. Elena had been the one who had kissed him. But Sylvanas couldn't know that because she had only spotted them kissing. She didn't know what had happened before. She had walked away before he had been able to explain what had happened.

He had to meet her but she was very busy all the time or just didn't want to see him. Whenever he went to her office, one of her rangers told him that she was not there or had to do something. Maybe she was avoiding him. Maybe she just needed time. Three weeks had passed since Sylvanas had caught them and stormed off. But he will give her more time if necessary.

He was not afraid that she would kiss Nathanos or Verena or do anything else with them because she was not the type of woman who would do this as an act of vengeance. On the other hand, she had endured much during the past months. The loss of her brother, the defeat in Zul'Aman and then his disappearance. It was not unlikely that Sylvanas was not in the best condition. Outwardly she appeared as a strong woman but inwardly she was vulnerable.

He assumed it had shocked her and hurt her feelings as she had caught him and Elena kissing. He was sure she was still hurt but she didn't show it. He had to talk to her and explain what had happened. He had heard that Sen'za had been interrogated so he hoped she had told that she had worked on a love potion. Sylvanas must find out the truth so she would understand that it was not his fault.

He would never cheat on her. He loved her too much to do that. He just had to find her and talk to her. He had to explain everything and make her understand. He knew Sylvanas pretty well. He knew her for over fourteen years and he was together with her for four years. He knew her as the kind, tolerant and smart woman she was, so he hoped she will forgive him one day.

Kelrian was brought out of his thoughts as a familiar person shouted his name. He turned his head, looking at the massive building in front of which the person stood. It was the prison of Silvermoon City where his cousin stood.

He didn't hesitate to hug Liadrin as he approached her. He stroked her back and she returned the gesture. They embraced each other for a few moments before he pulled away and regarded the smaller woman. There had been a time where she had been taller than him. But times had changed. Nowadays, Liadrin was a mere head smaller than him.

He regarded her from head to toe, noticing that she was wearing an orange coloured robe. She also checked on his outfit which consisted of brown trousers and a green vest.

"I haven't met you for a while. It's good to see you again, Kel."

Kelrian smiled. "It's good to see you too, Liadrin."

"I was worried about you when I heard that you were reported missing. I thought you were dead so did the rest of our family. Your mother was shattered but I helped her as best as I could. Fortunately, she has no longer a reason to grieve."

"I'm sorry that I worried you and our family."

Liadrin raised an eyebrow, a small smile appeared on her lips. "You don't have to be sorry. You didn't ask to get captured by the trolls. What matters is that you are alive and your mother has no longer a reason to be sad. She really misses you. You should pay her a visit."

Kelrian nodded. "I will visit her but first I need to speak to the troll who held me captive."

Liadrin frowned. "So that's the reason why you want to meet me in front of the prison. I was wondering why you would go there in the first place. I assumed that you wouldn't want to meet your father so I was asking myself who you want to visit instead."

Kelrian chuckled. "No, I'm not going to visit this bastard. Not after everything he did. He can be lucky that they didn't execute him for helping the enemy."

Liadrin tilted her head a little. "He never confessed that he betrayed us. Everyone believes it but we have no proofs at all. That's why he is still alive. He is locked up there because he let Sylvanas' brother die. He was sentenced for denial of assistance and abuse. Your mother went very emotional when she told the judge how your father treated her. Some things he did to her could be considered as rape. Or sexual assault. But don't worry about him anymore, he won't leave the cell for the rest of his life," Liadrin explained.

Kelrian looked at the ground, a thoughtful expression could be seen on his face. He didn't say anything for a few minutes but then he lifted his head again and looked at the woman with the honey-brown coloured hair. "It's not that I wish his death but sometimes I think he deserves it."

Liadrin put a hand on his shoulder, patting it softly. "Your father deserves it, that's right. But maybe he can redeem himself one day. Who knows? People can change."

"I don't believe that he will change. I'm just glad that he will never get out. No matter what will happen."

Liadrin nodded at him. "I understand you and I feel the same way.

Kelrian exhaled loudly. "I'm glad that he can no longer threaten us. I don't really want him back in my life, no matter if he changes or not. He will never make up for what he did. I will never forgive him, no matter how hard he will try and how often he will apologize. But I know him, so I know he will never apologize for anything."

Liadrin was silent as she regarded Kelrian curiously.

"We should enter the prison," spoke Kelrian as he turned around and stepped away from the priestess. Liadrin didn't hesitate to follow him. They walked through the door, arriving in the entrance hall. There were a few seats on which they could take place. But they weren't waiting for someone who would be released so there was no reason for them to wait in this room.

They walked to the reception, greeting the woman who was sitting there. Like all the guards in the room and in front of the building, she wore the typical armour of the Silvermoon City Guards. Red coloured armour made out of the best steel in Quel'Thalas. The best blacksmith of Quel'Thalas made the armours for the average guards while the best blacksmiths of Ironforge created the armours and weapons for the lieutenants, captains and for Heren Lightpresser,the leader of the Silvermoon City Guard.

Kelrian looked at the name badge which was right above the receptionists' chest. Her name was Alura Sunguard. She had long silver-coloured hair and a pretty face, like all high elves. She had a small dimple on each cheek which only made her look cuter. She smiled at the newcomers, asking them how she could help them.

"I wanted to ask if I could visit one of the troll prisoners," said Kelrian.

"Which one?"

"Her name is Sen'za. She has long red hair and blue skin," explained Kelrian.

Alura made a thoughtful face as she looked at the ranger. "Sen'za... Sen'za... Sen'za... Blue skin..." She averted her gaze and opened the thick book which laid in front of her. She flicked through the pages, stopping after a while. She put her finger on a page and trailed it down until she found the name she was looking for. "Sen'za Quickspear, there she is." Alura looked up, a small smile was visible on her lips. "She is on Level 46."

"How do we get there?" asked Liadrin.

"Just follow my colleague," she said and pointed at a male who was standing in front of one of the yellow coloured walls. "He will guide you to the right cell."

"Thank you," said Kelrian.

The woman smiled at him. "You are welcome."

Kelrian nodded to her, then he turned around and walked to the guard Alura had pointed at. He was as tall as him and had short cut hair. There was nothing on him which stuck out. He looked like the average male high elf but his hair was black and not blonde. Karic Dawnwalker was written on his name badge. "I greet you," he said as Kelrian and Liadrin stopped in front of him.

The guests greeted him in return.

"Are you ready?" Karic asked.

"We are," replied Kelrian.

Karic nodded at them, signalizing them to follow him. They did that without hesitation, walking through the double doors at the end of the entrance hall. The bordering corridor was wide enough that four persons could walk next to each other. It was over eleven feet tall so that even trolls and orcs could walk through it without bumping their heads on the ceiling.

Guards were stationed every sixteen feet, meaning enough guards stood in the corridor for the case that one of the prisoners would try to break out. There were normal guards, spellbreakers and even mages and priests. Kelrian assumed they were frost mages because they could catch the prisoners quickly before they could do anything. Freezing their feet to the floor would be enough to stop them from running away.

Kelrian glanced into the cells on both sides as he walked, spotting creatures of different races. He spotted many trolls. Most of them were older than most of the trolls he had encountered during the war because they had been captured decades ago.

He spotted human and quel'dorei bandits and other criminals like murders, thieves, rapists and kidnappers. There were old prisoners and young ones. Males and females.

He noticed the hate in the eyes of the trolls and orcs. Most of the humans, dwarves and high elves stared at the walls or on the floors, averting eye contact. They didn't want to be recognized for the case they would get out someday. No matter if the visitors would remember their faces, some of the prisoners will always be recognized by the citizens because they had a certain magical tattoo on the right side of their neck. Only those who raped, murdered or did similar serious crimes had such a tattoo.

There was no way to hide it. It would shine through every piece of cloth no matter how thick it would be. No scarf or cloth will be able to cover the tattoo. They will always be marked as criminals. Even removing the skin wouldn't help because it was also engraved in the prisoners' flesh. There was no way to remove such a tattoo. It will always remain on the prisoners' bodies no matter what they will do. They would be marked forever so they always will be reminded of the crimes they had committed.

Kelrian, Liadrin and Karic left the corridor eventually, coming to a gigantic room. The walls' colour was purple, the ceiling and the floor had a similar colour. There were plenty of portals.

In front of each portal stood two guards who were armed to their teeth. Kelrian had never been in the prison of Silvermoon before so he was curious where the portals would lead. He had an assumption but he didn't say anything because he guessed the guard will tell them where the portals led anyway.

Karic stopped in the middle of the room, turning around to look at the visitors."Any of these portals bring us to a different level. As you can see, there are signs which tell to which level the portals lead," he explained, pointing at the sign which floated above the nearest portal. _Level 22_ was written there.

Kelrian turned around, looking at the signs. There was a sign with the number 106. He assumed that most of these areas were beneath the ground. From the outside, nobody would guess that over one hundred levels would fit in this building. Five or six at maximum but not one majority of the level had to be beneath the ground if each level was at least eleven feet tall.

"I assume that there are also levels where bathrooms and dining halls are," said Liadrin.

"There are two levels on which you can only find toilets, showers and tubs and there are three levels which are used as dining halls. There are also levels where prisoners are allowed to walk freely, of course only in handcuffs which suppress their magic. We don't want to give them the opportunity to riot and break out. On these levels, they can stretch their limbs out, do sports, train or just move a bit in general. Each prisoner is allowed to spend two hours there each day," explained Karic.

"How many meals do they get each day on what do they get?" Kelrian asked curiously.

"They get three meals each day." Karic lifted his hand, gesturing them to let him finish. "Don't say it, I know it's more than most of them deserve. But the High King demands that we treat our prisoners well so we give them decent meals, enough water to drink and allow them to run rounds or do other sports. Only if they want to. We don't force anyone to go to these levels and do something. They can also stay in their cells and only leave them to eat something or to clean themselves. It's up to them."

Neither Kelrian nor Liadrin said anything so the guard continued to explain. "We are no beasts who mistreat their prisoners. We treat everyone equally, even prisoners of war. The trolls and orcs may mistreat their prisoners but that is no reason for us to be like them. We are better than them so we make sure our prisonersare treated well."

"I understand you and I share this way of thinking. We shouldn't sink to the same level as them. We wouldn't be better than them if we mistreat our prisoners," responded Kelrian.

The guard nodded at him. "Anyways, you are not here to talk to me. I suggest we will go to level 46 so I can bring you to the prisoner you want to see."

Liadrin nodded at him, giving him a small smile. Karic didn't hesitate to walk to portal 46, waiting until Kelrian and Liadrin were standing next to him. He looked at them for the last time before he walked through the portal. Kelrian didn't hesitate to walk through it as well. Neither did Liadrin.

They arrived in a corridor which was as wide and as tall as the previous corridor. The walls were coloured in yellow. Simple yellow. The floor was covered with blue tiles. Kelrian and Liadrin nodded at each guard they passed as they walked through the corridor. They had nearly reached its end as Karic stopped suddenly. He turned to the right and pointed at the cell in front of him. Kelrian tracked his gaze and spotted who he was looking at.

There was a familiar person who sat in the right corner of the cell. They could see the almost completely exposed back of the woman, her dirty blue skin and her messy red hair. It was no other than Sen'za.

Kelrian regarded her for a few moments before he averted his gaze and looked at Karic. "Can you open the door so I can talk to her?"

"Of course," replied the guard and took a bunch of keys from his belt. He searched for the right one, putting it in the lock. He unlocked the door and opened it, allowing Kelrian and Liadrin to get in.

"I will wait in front of the cell for the case she tries anything,"

Kelrian glanced at Karic. "I don't think she will."

"I think the same but I rather remain here. Just for the case," told Karic.

Kelrian gave him a nod and entered the cell. He walked over to the troll and squatted next to her. Her smell was so strong as if she hadn't showered for days or maybe even weeks. She was looking at her fingers and fiddled with them. Her long ears hung low. He assumed she had noticed his presence but he understood that she didn't want to turn around. Nobody loved to be locked in a cell so he understood that she didn't want to see him.

"Hello," said Kelrian quietly.

Sen'za's ears twitched for a short moment but other than that, her body wasn't reacting at all. She didn't move. Not even a small inch. She remained in her position and ignored him as best as she could.

"Sen'za?" Kelrian tried to get her attention but she continued to ignore him.

He sighed. "I'm sorry that I knocked you out and brought you and So'mi to the nearest base. I'm sorry that they put you in prison. I will talk to the Ranger-General as soon as I can and convince her to let you free. You allowed us to escape so I want to return the favour."

Sen'za couldn't see the friendly smile on his face because she hadn't turned her head to look at him. Even if she would see it, she wouldn't care. She didn't want to see him. Not after he had knocked her out even though she had freed him. She regretted that she had guided him and the other elf out of Zul'Aman.

She wished she would have left them there and escaped alone. But Kelrian had managed to get rid of his chains and prevented that she could kill So'mi. Without him, the dumb whore would have been dead. Without him, her rival would be dead. And she could have Zul'jin all for herself. She could have made him fall for her, with the help of love potions, and could have been together with him for the rest of her life.

Instead, she would spend the rest of her life in this cell. Thanks to Kelrian. She was mad at him. Mad that he had stopped her. Mad that he had knocked her out and brought her to his people. She was also mad that the love potion hadn't worked.

It didn't come in her mind that Kelrian had only done his duty. No other ranger would have acted differently. The capture of the troll queen was very important for the Alliance of Lordaeron. She was a hostage of the Alliance and leverage at the same Alliance could force Zul'jin to surrender. At least they could try it. If he would ever surrender was a different story.

Kelrian turned his head to look at Liadrin who frowned as she regarded them. She shrugged her shoulders when she noticed that Kelrian was looking at her. He averted his gaze and looked back at the silent troll.

"You may think that I betrayed you but that's not the case. We were never on the same side. You held us captive. I know you saved us from endless torture and sexual assault by the Amani. I really appreciate that but I cannot forget what you did to us. Forcing us to kiss was only the most harmless thing you did. You forced us to drink potions without knowing what they would do to us. You could have killed us.

One of your potions made us sick while another nearly killed us. We suffered for three days. Three whole days... The pain was unbearable..." Kelrian paused for a few moments. He took a deep breath, looked at Liadrin once more before he looked back at the troll.

"I did wrong things so did you. Neither one of us is innocent so I suggest that we should stop being mad at the other and cooperate. I can help you to get out of this prison if you help me with my problem. Think about it," Kelrian spoke. He regarded the blue-skinned troll who still refused to say anything or even look at him.

A loud sigh escaped his lips. "I will return in two days. You can consider whether you want to talk to me or not in the meantime. I can help you to get free." He got up and walked to the door, turning his head to look at Sen'za for the last time. "You will never get out if I don't tell the Ranger-General what you did for us. If you talk to me and help me with my problem, I will help you in return."

He regarded her for a few moments before he left the cell. Karic waited until Liadrin had left the cell, then he closed the door and locked it.

"What kind of a problem do you have?" asked Liadrin. An eyebrow was raised as she regarded her cousin curiously.

"I've had nightmares for almost two weeks. I assume they started when the potion didn't affect me anymore. It might be an aftereffect of one of the potions she gave me or some sort of trauma. I've seen horrible things during the battle. Things I just cannot forget. I need something which helps me to forget, or at least which makes sure I can sleep without waking up in the middle of the night because I had a nightmare.

I went to every alchemist, priest, doctor or any other person which could help me. Unfortunately, none of their medicines helped me so I hoped Sen'za knows something that might help. As a troll, she may know herbs or recipes the races of the Alliance don't know. Maybe the potions she gave me suppressed the trauma, or whatever this is that causes the nightmares. I want to ask her if she can tell me a recipe which could help me."

Liadrin made a thoughtful face, her brows were furrowed as she frowned. "None of the methods of the priests helped you?"

"Unfortunately, not."

"And our alchemist couldn't help you either?"

Kelrian shook his head. "Not even the priests and alchemists in Dalaran."

"How bad are the nightmares?" Liadrin asked curiously.

Kelrian took a breath and tilted his head as he considered what to say in response. "Well, I wake up in the middle of the night. Every night. I haven't slept much in the last two nightmares... The scenes I see... There are just horrible. I don't want to tell you the details... They are not pleasant to watch or imagine."

"I'm sorry for you, man," said Karic after Kelrian was done explaining.

Kelrian nodded at him.

Liadrin stepped closer to Kelrian. "I wish I could help you. Just tell me how and I will do it."

Kelrian smiled at her and thanked her for the offering. "Maybe you can ask your friends if they know something that could help me. Maybe a method or something which allows me to sleep without waking up in the middle of the night."

"I see what I can do but I can't promise anything"

Kelrian tapped her shoulder slightly. "Thank you, Liadrin."

She didn't say anything in response, she just nodded her head. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she saw someone out of the corners of her eyes. She turned her head to the right and looked at the person. Kelrian also turned his head as he saw the surprised expression on her face. He wondered who she was looking at.

There were three persons not far away from them. Two of them were guards and the last one was a prisoner. It was a man. But not only a random man Kelrian had never seen before. It was a familiar man Kelrian knew since his birth.

It was his father.


	43. Justice?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning. This chapter is a bit rough.

There he was. Xenarion Sunsinger. Kelrian's father.

He was standing not far away from Kelrian. But he was not alone. Two guards accompanied him. His hands were cuffed behind his back and his feet were shackled as well so he couldn't run away. He wore a dirty white tunic and shabby brown trousers. His skin was dirty, a glowing mark was tattooed on his neck. His left eye was swollen, his bottom lip was burst and his nose looked deformed as if it had been broken recently and not treated at all.

Xenarion had been beaten. Kelrian was asking himself if his father had started it or if others had attacked him. But he didn't care at all. His father meant nothing to him. He deserved it. He deserved to be in this prison and suffer for everything he had done. Some may think he deserved to die but a quick death would be too merciful for him.

In Kelrian's opinion, being locked up in a cell and not being able to do anything was just the right form of punishment for him. He would rot there for the rest of his life. He will no longer be able to harm anyone, especially not his former wife. He will never be able to abuse her again and force her to do things she didn't want to do.

His mother was safe, so were his younger siblings. He didn't know about his older siblings. He didn't know if they were alive but he didn't care as long as they wouldn't change their minds. They were dead to him as long as they would still stand by their father. He had no clue if they still shared his opinion after everything he had done. But he didn't care.

They had done a lot of bad things. They had tolerated how their father had treated their mother. They had mocked him and treated him like a piece of shit. They had regarded him as an unworthy creature. He was not sure if he would ever forgive them.

He was not even sure if he wanted to forgive them but he was sure he would never forgive his father. No matter what he will say or do. He was certain about that.

Kelrian scrutinized his father for a few moments, then he looked at Liadrin whose narrowed eyes also rested on him. Kelrian didn't want to look at his father. He didn't want to look at this bastard's face. He didn't want to pay attention but he did it nevertheless. Even though Xenarion's face looked pretty demolished, he couldn't stop himself from grinning at his middle son.

"So, we meet again, Kel," said his father.

Kelrian tilted his head, staring at his father. "Don't call me that."

The corner of Xenarion's lips formed a provocative grin. "Why not, Kel? I am your father if you still remember that. Why am I not allowed to call you by your nickname?"

Kelrian snorted. "You may be my father but that doesn't mean you can do that. I hate you. You treated me like a lesser creature. You treated me as if I was unworthy of you. You are the worst dad someone can ever imagine."

Xenarion's healthy eye rested on his son as he started to formulate a response. "Well, you are unworthy, otherwise, the light would support you. But it doesn't. You are not worthy enough for the light. In a family full of servants of the light you are the only one who stands out. You are the only one who is different. You are an outsider. You always were. I mean just look at yourself. You look so different from your siblings and you have no similarities to me. You shouldn't be a part of our family. If I wouldn't have witnessed your birth, I would have believed your mother would have adopted you from a common street whore who didn't want to keep her child which was fathered by a random horny looser."

His father's words were hard but they meant nothing to him. They didn't affect him at all. He remained calm and stared at his father while no emotions were reflected by his face. He could see hatred which was reflected by his father's eye. He was still grinning but his grin faded when he realized that his provocation hadn't worked.

But that didn't stop him from talking. "I've heard that you have captured the troll queen. Are you proud of yourself now? Are you going to your whore of a mother and tell her so she pets your head as she would do with a little child? Too bad she is the only one who likes you. No one else will ever like you."

His father was still insulting him but Kelrian drowned out everything he said. He wanted to hit him so badly, wanted to connect his fist with his deformed nose, wanted to knock a few teeth out but he didn't do it. He closed his eyes and took deep and slow breaths, calming down.

When he opened his eyes again, he noticed that the guards had managed to silence Xenarion somehow. Kelrian gave him an indifferent look. "Do you want to say anything meaningful before I leave and you never see me again?"

"I wish you good luck with sleeping your way up to the top."

Kelrian tilted his head, irritation was reflected by his face. He frowned at his father who still grinned at him. "What do you mean?"

Xenarion's grin became wider. "I know that you are the Ranger-General's manwhore. You only became a ranger because she is attracted to you and you only joined her elite squad because she smashes you. You are nothing more than the sex toy of this whore."

Kelrian tried hard to hold back and pull himself together. He did his best but he couldn't. The anger had overwhelmed him. He couldn't stop himself from jumping forward and ram his fist in his father's face. A loud, painful cry escaped the priest's lips as his head was pushed back. Xenarion stumbled and fell to the ground, remaining there.

Kelrian turned his head to look at Liadrin whose face reflected surprise. He turned his head again, looking at Karic who was as surprised as Liadrin. "I'm sorry. I'm not allowed to hit a prisoner," Kelrian said to him.

Karic shrugged his shoulders. "I'm don't know what you are talking about. I saw nothing," he said and winked his right eye. Kelrian gave him an understanding nod, then he turned his head to look back at his father who had gotten up in the meantime.

"That's all I have to say to you," said Kelrian.

Quiet laughter escaped Xenarion's lips.

Kelrian raised a brow. "What is so funny?"

"Nothing. But I have to say you have a good swing," he replied.

"I have my strength from my mother. Not from you."

Xenarion laughed again.

Kelrian raised the other brow. "What?"

"Well, there is something you should know."

Confusion was reflected by Kelrian's face. "What do you mean?"

"You are a very smart guy, at least you think you are. Maybe you are, who knows? Let's say it like that. There is no way you inherited your strength from me because there is absolutely nothing you have inherited from me."

It took Kelrian a few moments to realize what his father might be implying. But it confused him.

Liadrin made a step forward. "You don't want to say that..."

"I think Sylvanas' sex toy is smart enough to figure it out on his own."

Liadrin looked at Kelrian, noticing that he was staring at a random spot behind his father. It seemed as if he was having an inner conflict. Or maybe he was just trying to process what his father had said **.**

Kelrian had an inner conflict. He couldn't believe what his father had said.

What his father had said...

He was no longer sure if he was his real father...

What this person had said...

No...

He didn't believe him. He had to be his father even though he wished he wasn't. The assertion had heavily surprised Kelrian so he was unable to think clearly. His thoughts got mixed up and he had problems to focus and order his thoughts. He was totally confused.

He was asking himself if it could be true what his _father_ had said. Could it be true that Xenarion wasn't his father? He didn't want to be the son of this bastard so he should hope it would be true. He didn't know what he should say to this. He was just confused.

If Xenarion was right it meant that he and his mother kept it secret for sixty-nine years. They had lied to him and hid the truth from him. He had trusted them. He had believed everything they had told him. He had believed they were honest persons. Maybe he had been wrong about them. Maybe they were not the persons they claimed to be. Maybe they were strangers he didn't know at all.

Kelrian shook his head as he noticed that his thoughts didn't make sense at all. No matter if they had hidden this information from him, they weren't different persons. At least not his mother. His father had changed so much over the years. He couldn't recognize him anymore. He had once looked up to him but because of his opinion and his behaviour, he wasn't looking up to him anymore.

He was disgusted by him. He hated him. He had once been a friendly family father who would have done anything for his loved ones. These days, he was nothing more than a traitorous asshole. A traitorous asshole who had abused his own wife and had forced her to do things she hadn't wanted to do. He was not much better than the orcs and trolls.

Kelrian wondered why he had changed so drastically. He remembered that Xenarion had once been a good guy who would have done anything to protect his family and his people. Somehow, the good person had become the entire opposite. Kelrian was asking himself what had happened to him. He assumed he would never get an answer from him.

Kelrian still had no idea if his father was saying the truth or if he was lying. If he was not his father who was it then? If he was not his father it meant that her mother had cheated on her husband. He may deserve it but he knew she would never do that. He knew her pretty well. At least he had thought that until the moment Xenarion had claimed that he was not his father.

Maybe he was right and her mother had had something with another man. Maybe an affair. Maybe she had consumed too much alcohol and had done a mistake. A one-nightstand. But it didn't matter because there was nothing Kelrian could do to change it. He could only hope he was lying. Xenarion was a false snake. He would do and say anything to achieve his goals. He was a snake in the grass. He was someone who would try to achieve his selfish goals at any cost.

It was not unlikely that he was lying to Kelrian. Maybe he wanted to sabotage Kelrian's relationship with his mother. Maybe he wanted to tell him lies about her, hoping he and his mother would get in an he had planned, it was nothing good.

Kelrian knew his mother pretty well and he would never believe she would cheat on her must lie. There was no way he was right. He was sure his father just wanted to confuse him and stir him up against his mother. But Kelrian wouldn't fall for the bait. He was not dumb.

He didn't believe him but he still wanted to talk to his mother. He had to find out if there was any truth to Xenarion's claim. But he had to approach her the right way. He didn't want that she would think he believed his father. He didn't believe him. Not even in the slightest. He didn't want to hurt his mother but he wanted to know the truth. So he had to ask her.

He turned his head eventually, looking at Xenarion whose facial expression had changed from mischievous to head was tilted to the right side while he stared at Kelrian, wondering what was going on in his head.

"I don't believe you," Kelrian said eventually.

Xenarion snorted. "Would I lie to you?"

Kelrian raised an eyebrow. "Is this a serious question? Do you think I would believe you without seeing any proofs? Do you seriously think I believe you blindly after everything you did?" His voice was much louder and his face reflected anger.

Xenarion didn't say anything in return, so Kelrian could let out all his anger. "You treated me like shit from the day I failed the priest examination. You refused to train me or give me useful tips to get better and so that I could have passed the next examination. You spent less and less time with me. You regarded me as an unworthy creature and now you are telling me that I'm not your son? How it comes that you have been so friendly to me the first forty-eight years? Tell me. Explain it to me, _father._ "

Xenarion didn't avert eye contact as he considered what he should say in response. He didn't need long to formulate an answer. "I did a paternity test in secret after you failed the first time. I don't think I need to tell you the result of the test."

Kelrian's eyes narrowed and stared into his father's eyes. "I don't believe any of your lies," he spat. He made a step forward, lifted his fist but he stopped at the last moment. He almost hit his father again but the tensed expressions on the guard's faces and the look Liadrin was giving him had caused him to overthink his next step.

At the last moment, he had managed to stop himself from hitting him again. One time had been enough. Hitting him a second could have brought him in serious trouble. He was a visitor after all and Xenarion was a prisoner. The visitors had no right to physically harm the prisoners. He was lucky that the guards hadn't done anything when he had hit him the first time.

"Talk to your mother and ask her if you don't believe me," responded Xenarion, a small smirk could be seen on his lips.

"I will," were the last words Kelrian said before he turned around and hurried away.

* * *

The blowing of war horns roared through the air as Sylvanas and her rangers broke through the last barricade the trolls had erected. She could see the fear in the eyes of the trolls who were in their near. They feared her and she loved that. She loved hearing their screams, their painful cries and their whimpering when she had brought them down to their knees only to behead them a moment later.

She also loved to see whenever an arrow pierced through their flesh and bones. She loved to see them falling to the ground and stop moving. She just loved to kill these bastards after everything they had done to her family and her people.

The trolls weren't the ones who attacked Windrunner Village and Windrunner Spire but they had told the orcs to do that. Sylvanas knew that because she had interrogated a prisoner who had told her everything she wanted to know after Zetai had threatened to cut her baby out of her belly and told her she would still be conscious when he would do that.

Sylvanas didn't appreciate such methods, especially when they were used against a pregnant woman. Now that she was pregnant too, she could feel the woman's fear. She found it barbaric. She would have never threatened a pregnant prisoner like this. Zetai had volunteered to lead the interrogation. Someone else would have done it if she would have known which methods he would use. She couldn't have known that Zetai was unscrupulous.

The troll queen had told her what she wanted to know before Sylvanas could have said anything. It had come out of So'mi's mouth like a bullet out of a gun. The troll queen had talked like a waterfall when Zetai had stared at her as if he wanted to rip her head off with his bare hands.

Sylvanas noticed that the trolls started to retreat as the war horns could be heard for the second time. They ran away. Away from the army of the Alliance which was not as large as it had once been. But it was still large enough to outnumber the trolls who were nothing without the orcs and the dragons.

She assumed that the battle had been going on for four or five hours. Thanks to the siege engines from Lordaeron, they had broken through the repaired walland stormed in the time there were no dragons which came to the troll's aid and killed a large number of Sylvanas' soldiers. The trolls had no chance of winning so they retreated to the keep where Zul'jin was hiding.

A smile appeared on Sylvanas' lips as she imagined him hiding behind his soldiers with shaking knees. He must be afraid. Afraid of her and her army. She guessed he was also afraid of losing his wife so she wondered if he would fight or surrender. He would have no chance anyway. He would only be able to kill some soldiers but lose all of his remaining warriors in return if he would choose to fight. Sylvanas didn't want to lose more rangers than she already had lost during the war so she hoped he would surrender. It would make things easier for both sides.

Sylvanas turned her head, looking at her rangers who were firing their arrows at the fleeing trolls. Behind them stood dozens of mages who cast various types of spells. She heard the battle cries of the paladins, warriors and other fighters who preferred close combat. She looked at them, noticing that they were slaughtering each fleeing troll who they caught up with.

But Sylvanas was not idle in the meantime. She fired arrow after arrow and gave a signal to a mage whenever her quiver was almost empty. It was refilled within a few seconds so she could proceed to kill more of these green bastards. Berserkers fell. Shamans fell. Voodoo priests, dire trolls and mages died by the hands of her soldiers. All of them fell but also soldiers of the Alliance died. In the end, the trolls lost more soldiers than the Alliance.

Sylvanas and her group drove the trolls back until they reached the fortress' keep. The mages used their powers to search for hidden traps before they entered the temple. Her soldiers avoided those they spotted, meaning no one was killed or injured by any trap. Sylvanas' group and those groups which were right behind her came in the keep's main hall. There were fifty trolls on the other side of the hall. On the other hand, more than two hundred soldiers of the Alliance had already entered the hall and more were coming.

Despite the fact that Zul'jin was far away from her, she still could see the worry in his eyes. He didn't seem to know what to do. He didn't give the order to attack so Sylvanas signalized her soldiers to hold back. She turned her head, giving Zetai a nod. The ranger with the blood-red coloured hair nodded to her and vanished in the gathered crowd of soldiers. She waited until he returned with a certain person in tow.

Sylvanas looked back at Zul'jin, smiling as she spotted the change of his facial expression. Because of her good eyes, she could recognize the details of his face even though he was so far away from her. Fear was reflected by his eyes. She knew he wasn't afraid for himself. He was afraid for his wife and his unborn child. She knew he would surrender if she would promise him to spare them. All trolls who would also surrender once their leader had surrendered.

Zul'jin's face was very pale, his eyes were widened and his mouth was wide opened. His hands were shaking. Heavily shaking. He dropped his weapon by accident but he didn't intend to pick it up. He knew that he and his soldiers had no chance against the superior number of elves, humans and dwarves. Even without someone holding a knife against his wife's throat, he saw no way of defeating the Alliance. He could fight and die or surrender and live. No, he could only surrender and if he wanted to make sure his wife would survive.

His eyes rested on the tall and muscular elf with the blood-red coloured hair, then it shifted to his wife whose eyes reflected fear. If he would come closer, he would see the tears which formed in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. He couldn't see them but the soldiers around her did.

They didn't say anything. Most of them looked at the trolls and ignored the troll queen. There was only one ranger who felt really seemed that Lor'themar Theron was not happy that they were forcing Zul'jin to surrender by threatening his wife.

He didn't like it but he didn't say anything. There was no reason to hold a knife against her throat. She couldn't escape because her arms and legs were tied but Zetai still did it.

"Give up, Zul'jin," Sylvanas shouted loud enough in common. "Tell your warriors to put their weapons on the floor and surrender. Otherwise...," she didn't need to speak any further. She just pointed at the troll queen to make Zul'jin realized what would happen then. She was bluffing but Zul'jin believed her that she meant it seriously. He couldn't know that Sylvanas would never harm a defenceless woman. Especially not a pregnant woman.

He hesitated for a moment but then he said something to his men. A few moments later, they lowered their weapons and dropped them on the floor. They surrendered.

A triumphing grin could be seen on the Ranger-General's lips as she saw Zul'jin coming closer. He had his hands raised above his head, signalizing the Alliance that he didn't want to try anything. Two paladins approached him and put his hands on his back, tying them together with magic suppressing cuffs. A satisfied smile appeared on Sylvanas' lips.

After all these years, she finally had managed to capture Zul'jin. He had been captured years ago by the humans but the orcs had freed him. That wouldn't happen this time. Sylvanas would make sure that this bastard wouldn't escape again. It had taken years and cost thousands of lives to capture Zul'jin but it was worth all the effort and the lives which had been taken.

With him in captivity, the trolls were practically defeated. There were still trolls out there. They lived in separated villages or bases but they were not enough to make a difference. The trolls didn't have enough men nor did they have the recourses to continue fighting the Alliance. There was no way he would get away this time.

They would capture the remaining Amani trolls and lock them in a certain prison outside of Silvermoon City. The prison in Silvermoon didn't have enough space to take every prisoner. The elves had to build a prison only for war prisoners. They also had to make sure Zul'jin would reach Silvermoon and be locked there.

He had to be escorted by enough rangers. The leader of the trolls had to be brought to Silvermoon where he would answer for his crimes. Maybe the High King would decide to kill him. Maybe he will spare his life but put him in a prison cell for the rest of his life. Sylvanas didn't care if Zul'jin would die or not. She just wanted him to get his just punishment.

As a warrior, being imprisoned and unable to do anything was much worse than death. Hopefully, that would be Zul'jin's fate. She had lost so many comrades during the war against the trolls that she couldn't wait to see him in the courtroom.

Sylvanas looked at Zul'jin, noticing that he was looking back at her. He didn't say anything nor did he make a gesture or a facial expression. There were just his yellow eyes which stared into hers. She didn't avert her gaze, wondering who could hold it longer. She realized he wouldn't look away but she still held his gaze. She made a gesture. The paladins lifted up the leader of the trolls and were about to drag him away as Zul'jin opened his mouth.

"Ya got wat ya wanted so let ma wife go. She didn't do anythin' to ya. She is innocent," he said. Sylvanas tilted her head and regarded him for a few moments, then she turned her head to look at Zetai. "Let her go," she demanded. She expected that he would obey her and let her go immediately. But he didn't do that.

"Let her go," she repeated, her voice was still calm Zetai still didn't move. She had told him twice but he hadn't reacted yet. The rangers and soldiers around him gave him surprised and irritated looks. No one would ever dare to contradict the Ranger-General. No one would ever dare to not do what she ordered. Either he was a fool or he hadn't heard her.

Sylvanas considered her options. She repeated the command, but this time much louder. "LET HER GO!"

Zetai tilted his head a little and looked at the Ranger-General. He still pressed the knife against the troll's throat whose face still reflected fear. Zetai averted his gaze, looking at Zul'jin whose face showed worry and fear.

Suddenly, the tall ranger's facial expression changed. Anger could be seen in his eyes. He clenched his teeth as he stared at the troll leader. Zul'jin could be glad at this very moment that looks couldn't kill, otherwise, Zetai's hateful gaze would have pierced through him and ended him quickly.

"This is for what you and your people did to my family and my village. You took my loved ones so I'm taking yours," he spoke through gritted teeth, then he did something no one would have ever expected. He slit the troll queen's throat, then he drew his sword from his belt, faster than anyone could have ever done, and beheaded So'mi before any of the surrounding rangers could have reacted.

He smiled as he saw that Zul'jin's eyes widened in shock. He cried out loudly, his face became as white as chalk. He couldn't believe that Zetai had killed his pregnant wife. But he was not the only one who was shocked. Everyone around him regarded the ranger with widened eyes and shocked facial expressions. Nobody had expected that he would do such a thing.

He didn't just kill a prisoner of war. He killed a pregnant woman. He killed her in front of the Ranger-General's eyes without receiving an order from her or asking for her permission. He just did it without thinking about the consequences.

Zul'jin roared out in anger and shoved the paladins away. One staggered backwards, the other fell to the ground. Zul'jin's hands were still tied but that didn't stop him from running towards the ranger who stood in front of everyone else.

An amused smirk appeared on Zetai's lips. He saw the troll coming closer but didn't react at first. Only at the last moment, he stepped to the side, pulled a dagger from his belt and rammed it in Zul'jin's right eye. The troll howled out in pain and staggered backwards.

Zetai was about to attack him again but a mage froze his legs to the ground at Sylvanas' command. She did the same with Zul'jin so none of them could harm the other. The angry shouts of the trolls roared through the air. They cried out in anger, insults in their native language escaped their lips but they didn't pick up their weapons.

They knew they would die before they would reach the soldiers of the Alliance. They also knew that the Alliance would kill their leader if they would attack them, so they remained on the other side of the room, their narrowed eyes rested on the ranger who had just murdered their co-leader.

Sylvanas paved a way through the soldiers around her and approached the ranger which belonged to her unit. Her eyes were narrowed, her teeth were gritted and anger was reflected by her finely chiselled features. "Why did you do that? She was a pregnant woman," hissed Sylvanas. It was not easy for her to not strike Zetai across the face but she managed to control herself.

Zetai's facial expression didn't change. He wasn't regretting that he had killed her. "So was Salna but the trolls killed her in front of my eyes. She was injured and unable to defend herself but his men run a spear through her heart. Zul'jin also ordered the attack on my village. He did so many crimes, so he deserves that. He deserved to see his loved ones die in front of his eyes for all the lives he and his murdering bastards have taken."

He looked around, noticing that some agreed with him while others were still too shocked or surprised to form an opinion. Most soldiers of the Alliance had unreadable expressions on their faces. Most of them had no clue what they should think about what their comrade had done.

"You had no right to take her life. She was a prisoner. Our prisoner. And she was a pregnant woman on the top. That's unacceptable."

"Are you serious about this?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sylvanas' eyes narrowed further. "Do I look like I'm not serious?" she asked rhetorically.

Zetai tilted his head. "You are talking of her as if she were an intelligent humanoid being like us. But she is nothing more than a beast. The orcs and trolls are nothing more than brutal, merciless, raping beasts that must be extinguished. They kill and torture for fun. They slaughter innocent civilians, murder their children and rape their wives and daughters. I just made Zul'jin pay for all the crimes he had committed.

My mother was raped in front of my father's and sister's eyes, then they killed her and my father. They showed no mercy even though they surrendered and begged for their lives. Zul'jin and his whore of a wife deserve that. For everything they did to us and the inhabitants of Quel'Thalas. I just did what many of us wanted. She can be lucky I didn't rape her. She was spared of this horrible act of torture because I'm not a monster. I ended her life quickly even though she deserved to suffer and die slowly for everything she and her bastard of a husband did to our people."

Sylvanas could see the pain and grief in his eyes but there was also hatred. So much hatred. She had heard of his tragic past. What had happened to his village and his family was cruel but what he had done was not much better. If he acted like this, he was not better than the trolls but he didn't seem to care about that. "An eye for an eye" was the rule he seemed to live by. He answered brutality with brutality.

She couldn't believe the best ranger of the current generation had done that. He had sunk to the same level as the trolls. How could he? How couldn't he notice that he wasn't better than the trolls when he behaved like that? He murdered a prisoner. A pregnant prisoner.

She may not be innocent but she didn't deserve to die like this. Especially not before the birth of her child.

It was true that she and Zul'jin committed numerous crimes against the high elves. But that didn't give anyone the right to kill her. It would have been the task of the High King or his judges to decide over her fate. Zetai had just ignored the rules and took the law in his own hands. He broke the codex of the Farstriders. Vigilantism was not tolerated.

Sylvanas thought about her unborn child as she regarded So'mi's corpse. It pained her to imagine that her child could also die before it would ever see the daylight. It could happen so quickly. For example, if an orc or a troll would pierce its weapons through her belly. Sylvanas may wear armour which covered her belly, for the first time since she joined the Farstriders, but that wouldn't protect her from a forceful spear thrust.

She put a hand on her belly and did her best to not show that she was afraid of something. Thoughts about losing her child because of injuries she might suffer during a battle had plagued her over the past days. One forceful kick in the stomach by a dire troll or an orc could ruin everything.

There were many possibilities of how she could have lost her child but she hadn't been injured during the battle. Her child was alright. Nevertheless, she felt unwell. What Zetai had done disgusted her. She was disappointed by him. She didn't recognize him anymore. This was not the man she had trained together with Kelrian and the other recruits of the current generation.

She could understand him, a little at least. She could understand that he was angry and still grieving over the loss of most of his family. Only his younger sister was left of his family. She imagined that seeing his girlfriend die in front of his eyes must have broken him. She didn't want to imagine how she would have reacted if Kelrian would have died in front of her eyes. Or how she would behave if he wouldn't have returned weeks ago after he had been missing for almost two months.

She could feel his pain and his anger but she couldn't understand how he could have done such a horrible thing. He ended two lives at the same time. She couldn't let this go unpunished. He did a war crime. He killed someone without her permission. He broke the honour codex of the Farstriders. He trampled on them and on her authority. He had to be punished but she had no clue how.

She will think about that later. There were other things she had to do at this very moment. Zul'jin had to be escorted to Silvermoon, while the rest of the army would march towards Lordaeron and assist the inhabitants to defend the capital city and drive out the orcs which occupied a large part of their lands. She wished Zul'jin could be brought to Silvermoon through a portal but her mages were too exhausted to create a portal. They would need some time to rest. They needed time the humans didn't have. The mages had to rest so they could use their powers in the defence of Lordaeron. Their powers would be badly needed there.

Sylvanas decided to give Halduron Brightwing the task to escort the leader of the Amani to Silvermoon City. She would give him three additional groups which would protect his group for the case that there would be trolls in the woods who would try to rescue their leader. She will tell him before they will march off in thirty minutes.

Sylvanas looked at Zul'jin who was kneeling next to his dead wife and mourned her loss. He may be a bastard, a merciless butcher but he was an intelligent creature with emotions. She had to admit she felt bad for him but only for a little. After all, he had committed numerous crimes which lead to the death of tens of thousands of soldiers of the Alliance. He had ordered his raiders to attack everyone they would find, even the defenceless civilians. He will pay for his crimes but killing his wife had been wrong. Unfortunately, it was too late to change things. There was no way Zul'jin would get her back.

The worst was that Zetai was not regretting anything. Not even when the other rangerstook him away on her order. He didn't say anything. He didn't protest and he didn't even resist. He allowed the rangers to bring him out of Sylvanas' sight.

Questions came up in her mind. How would Kelrian react when he would hear what his friend had done? Would he be disappointed? Disgusted? Proud? Shocked? Would he be able to recognize his best friend? What would he say?

Sylvanas had to see him and talk to him. She missed him so badly. Missed the way he looked at her. Missed the way he touched her. Missed his gentle smiles. She missed so much more of him.

She wondered what he was doing at the moment. She wanted to talk to him and find out what had happened that night. She hoped that he hadn't kissed her. She didn't want to lose him to another woman. She didn't want to lose him in general. She needed him.

There was one thing which had come in her mind over and over again whenever she had had the time to think about everything. How should she tell him that she was pregnant? The tests had been positive. She was pregnant for sure and she had no clue how she should tell him this. She had no idea how he would react. Would he be happy? Would he like to have a baby with her? Or would he be shocked and wouldn't want the baby? Would he leave her because of that?

She had no clue how he would react and didn't want to imagine the many possibilities. She knew one thing for sure. She had to meet him and talk to him to find the answers to her questions.

A long conversation was necessary.

She had to talk to him as soon as possible. But first, she had to lead her army to Lordaeron and assist the humans. She could talk to him once Lordaeron would no longer be in danger.


	44. Visit

Kelrian looked up from the letter he held in his hand to the house in front of him. He checked the address once again and compared it to the address on the letter. They matched. He looked at the name on the doorbell nameplate once again. _Silverstar_ was written there. So that must be the friend his mother had mentioned in her letter.

Kelrian regarded the house for a few moments. It was not as large as a multiple-family house in Silvermoon City but it was large enough that an entire family of at least eight people or two smaller families could live there. The walls were made out of yellow stones, the roof was covered by blue tiles. There was a small front garden with numerous flower beds. There were tulips, roses, lilies and many other beautiful flowers. Whoever lived there seemed to really like flowers.

He ringed the doorbell and waited patiently in front of the garden gate. The door was opened after nearly a minute and a tall man with silver coloured hair came out of the house. He was half a head taller than Kelrian, who was taller than the average male high elf. He wore a white shirt with long sleeves and blue buttons and black trousers. He looked friendly and was very handsome. He smiled at Kelrian as he jogged to the garden gate.

"How can I help you?" he asked and gave the ranger a curious look.

"I'm here because my mother wrote me that she's been living here for a few weeks, " responded Kelrian.

The man nodded his head. "You must be Kelrian then."

"I am. And who are you?"

"My name is Varo Silverstar. I'm one of your mother's oldest friends. I know her since she was a little girl to be exactly," the man responded.

Kelrian nodded his head. "It's nice to meet you, Varo."

Varo smiled. "It's nice to meet you too. Why don't you come in?"

"I wouldn't say no to that," responded Kelrian. Varo opened the garden gate and guided him to the entrance, closing the door behind him as soon as they had entered his house. The furniture in the entrance hall was solid. It was not too expensive but not too cheap either. Money was not lacking in this household. Varo pointed at the shoe cupboard, telling his guest to put his shoes there. Kelrian did as he was told and followed the man through the bordering corridor to the living room.

His mother sat at a table and held a cup of tea in her hand. She turned her head as she heard footsteps, her eyes widened and her lips formed a happy smile as she saw her son. She put the cup on top of the table and stood up to approach her son. Kelrian pulled her in a tight hug, rubbing her back softly. "I've missed you so much," he whispered in her ear.

"I've missed you too. I was shocked when I heard about your disappearance. I thought you were dead but luckily you survived and returned to us."

"Don't worry, ma. I made it home somehow. It was a hard time when I was held captive by the trolls but I got out alive. I assume it has been a hard time for you too. How have you been doing?"

"Things weren't easy for me but Varo helped me to survive the past months until I heard you were still alive," she told.

Kelrian regarded her for a few moments, then he turned his head to look at the man who was leaning against the wall next to the door. "I just did what a good friend should do. I comforted her as best as I could and told her that there is still hope that you would return. And as we know you did."

"I've to thank you then."

Varo smiled and rubbed the back of his head. "It was nothing really. I just did what any other person would have done."

Kelrian looked back at his mother. "Where are Cincia and Sindor?"

"They are spending time with Varo's children in the backyard."

Kelrian shifted his gaze to Varo. "You have children?" he asked interested.

"Yeah, I do. Two girls. Twins. They are at Cincia's age," the house owner responded.

"So, Sixty-one."

"Sixty-two to be exact but yeah. They live outside of Silvermoon City with their mother but since the evacuation, they moved to my house and live here until the war is over. The house is large enough for them and your family. I see them so rarely so I'm happy they are living here for a while."

"Family is very important. I hope you are going to see them more often in the future. If there is one thing, we learned during these times of war it's that we don't know how much time we have left. We should use the time we have wisely. Numerous people died during the war. Numerous people lost members of their families and loved ones. Every day can be our last day so we have to make the best out of every single day we have," said Kelrian.

He spoke from experience. He could have died the day the trolls had captured him. He also could have died during his captivity. He could have died and wouldn't have been able to say goodbye to his loved ones. To his mother, his siblings, his friends and his lover.

He would have never seen any of them again if Sen'za would have decided to kill him instead of using him as a test subject. He could call himself pretty lucky. Others hadn't been so lucky. Others had been killed during the war.

Children had lost one or two parents. Wives and husbands had lost their partners. Parents had lost their children. People had lost their friends and their loved ones. So many people had died during the war so far and more would die. The trolls were defeated but the orcs were still a threat even without their dragons. They were no enemies anybody should underestimate. But they will be defeated one day, Kelrian was hoping that at least.

It was a real wonder no one in Kelrian's family had died during the siege. Not even his older brother and sister. Seitor may have lost two fingers but other than that he was fine. Sydori had suffered burns but had survived. He hadn't seen them yet and he was not planning to do that. Even though they hated him, he was happy that they were still alive.

He didn't like them at all but he didn't wish their deaths. Especially because their deaths would really hurt his mother and he didn't want that to happen. He loved her and wanted to protect her from all dangers. He had rescued her out of his father's household to make sure he would no longer abuse her. He would protect her no matter what would it cost.

He loved her but he was also conflicted. He had to find out if his father had lied to him or if he had said the truth. He had to find out if Xenarion was his father or not. He just had to speak to his mother in private and say the right words. He didn't want to argue with her. He just wanted to find out the truth. He was hoping what his father had said was not true. He couldn't believe that his mother had slept with someone else while she had been together with Xenarion.

He wanted to know if Xenarion was his real father or not. He was not sure if anything would change if it turned out that Xenarion was not his father. He was sure that in this case, his mother would have had a reason to not tell him that Xenarion was not his father.

He may regard her with different eyes if that possibility would turn out to be true. Maybe she would explain it to him so he could understand why she had done it. If that would be the case, Kelrian could understand that his father had treated him differently. Nevertheless, Xenarion would have had no right to treat Kelrian like a piece of shit. He should have treated him like his siblings. A good father would have done that. But Xenarion was the entire opposite of a good father.

Kelrian thought it was possible that his father had lied to him to stir him up against his mother. He was sure he will find out the truth soon but only when he could talk to his mother in private.

"You are right," Varo said after a few minutes had passed. "I have to spend more time with them before it's too late. Sadly, I'm always busy and I can only see them on the weekends because they live in my ex's house during the week. I would love to see them more often. At least I can see them on the weekend. It's better than nothing. I spend as much time as I can with them. I'm so glad they were evacuated before the orcs attacked their village."

"Is their mother alright?" the ranger asked curiously.

Varo nodded. "But she was wounded. It's nothing worse but she needs a few more weeks until her wounds would be fully healed."

"I hope she'll recover well," said Liana.

A small smile appeared on Varo's gentle facial features. "I hope so too. We may have split up but she is still the mother of my children so I only want the best for her," replied the silver-haired man.

Kelrian was silent for a few minutes but then he spoke to Varo. "I'm glad you allow my mother and my siblings to live in your place. That's very kind of you."

Varo rubbed the back of his head, smiling at him with half-shut eyes. "It's nothing, really. I just did what everyone else would have done. I have enough rooms left which are unused. Living alone is pretty boring so I appreciate anyone who wants to keep me company. Not to mention that the High King had ordered that the house owners have to take in as many evacuated persons as possible. They even gain money in return but I don't care about the money. As you can see, I have enough to finance a house this size on my own. I just want to help a very good friend."

"I'm glad I have you," replied Liana and smiled at him. He looked at her and returned the smile. Kelrian was not sureif something going on between them. He had noticed the way they looked at each other. He was not sure if there was more than friendship. Maybe they liked each other a lot, otherwise, they wouldn't look at each other like that. Maybe he was just misinterpreting things. Maybe he was totally wrong and they were just good friends. Maybe he was right. Maybe not. He didn't mind if there would be something between them.

He was glad his mother had broken up with his father. She was a free and independent woman so she could be together with anyone she wanted. With a man or a woman. He didn't mind who it was as long as that person was treating her correctly. He just wanted her to be happy.

He didn't want them to interrupt them as they stared in each other's eyes but he had to talk to his mother and find out the truth. He cleared his throat and brought them out of their thoughts.

Kelrian addressed Varo politely as soon as he got his attention. "I would love to talk to my mother in private if that's okay for you."

"Of course you can do that. I will leave the room in the meantime and make sure your siblings and my children won't disturb you."

Kelrian gave him a thankful nod, waited until he had left the room and turned to his mother who regarded him curiously.

"What do you want to talk about, my dear?"

Kelrian hesitated. He didn't know how to say it. He didn't want to tell his mother he was doubting that Xenarion was his real father. He didn't believe him but he still wanted to ask his mother about the truth. He just had to find the right words to start. His mother showed patience and regarded him curiously, waiting that he would say something.

Kelrian took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. "I went to the prison to visit someone. When I was about to leave, I met father. We had a short talk and he told me... _things_."

Liana raised an eyebrow. "Things?"

"At first I didn't believe him but now I'm doubting everything. I no longer know what is right and what is wrong. I just want to know the truth from you..."

A look of worry was visible on Liana's face. "What did he tell you?"

Kelrian took a deep breath, exhaling sharply. It was much more difficult to speak the following sentence than he had expected. He looked at the floor when he said what was on his mind. "He told me that I'm not his son."

His gaze remained on the floor for a few moments, then he lifted his gaze and looked at his mother who hadn't said anything yet. Her facial expression was undefinable. Maybe she was surprised or shocked. Or she just didn't know what to say. Her eyes were widened and she bit her bottom lip softly. Her facial expression changed. A thoughtful look appeared on her face and her brows were raised.

Kelrian didn't say anything. He just regarded her with crossed arms in front of his chest. He was wondering why she took so long to figure out an answer. Maybe what his _father_ had said was right. That would explain why she didn't say anything. Maybe she was looking for the best answer she could give him. Or maybe she was just so surprised that she had no clue what she should say. Both explanations could be possible. He wasn't even sure if he hoped his father had said the truth or if he had lied.

Was he hoping that this bastard was not his real father which would mean that both of his parents had lied to him? Or was he hoping that Xenarion was his father? That would mean his mother had never lied to him. He had no idea what result he should hope for. He hated Xenarion but he loved his mother. Finding out that she had lied to him all these years would have an effect on him. He had no idea how things would change.

Could he still trust his mother then? She never lied to him before, didn't she? But what if that wouldn't be the only lie she had told him? What if there was much more he was not aware of? He was so confused and didn't know what he should think. He did not know what was true and what was a lie.

He regarded his fingers for a few moments, then he looked back at his mother whose face reflected determination. He tilted his head a little, giving her an inquisitive look.

Liana's lips parted and words slipped out of her mouth. "I wish that this bastard wouldn't be the father of all my children but unfortunately he is. He is your father for sure because I never cheated on him. I loved him once. I loved him so much but he changed after our marriage. He never showed it to your siblings and you but he has been this narcissist, abusive asshole since the birth of Seitor. I don't know why I stayed with him for so long. Maybe I was just blinded by love or maybe he had manipulated me somehow. Maybe he had used his powers as a priest against me and manipulated me this way. I don't know why I didn't realize earlier that he was a pure thanks to you, I got rid of him."

Kelrian's lips formed a thin line as he regarded her with a thoughtful expression on his face. What she had said made sense. It sounded logical but for some reason, there was something which confused him. For some reason, he was suspicious. He looked suspiciously at her but didn't say anything.

She was his mother and he knew her pretty well. She would never lie to him but somehow, he had the feeling that there was something rotten in her statement. He couldn't fully believe what she had said. But why should she lie? She had said that she wished Xenarion wouldn't be his father and the father of all her children.

What she had said had to be true. His father had made this assertion only to incite him against his own mother. He wanted him to doubt everything. He wanted to ruin his relationship with his mother. But Kelrian didn't believe him. His mother was right and his father was wrong. Lying was in his father's nature. He wouldn't believe any word he would say. He was a traitor, a liar and a bad person after all.

There was no reason for Kelrian to believe him. He was not a fool. Xenarion was his father and his mother never cheated on him. She was an honest person. He wouldn't allow that his father would ruin everything. He had already ruined enough. He caused the split-up of their family. He had already done enough damage so Kelrian wouldn't allow that he would make things worse.

Worry and doubt were no longer reflected by the ranger's face. "I believe you, mother. My father just wants to ruin our relationship by spreading this lie."

Liana nodded her head. "You are right about that. He just wants to make me suffer by turning you and your siblings against me. He wants to punish me for leaving him when I went with you that day. I still don't know why I didn't realize earlier what kind of a person he really was. I'm sorry that you had to endure the harassments of him and your older siblings. I'm also sorry that I didn't help you or make them stop."

Kelrian gave her a warm smile. "I've already forgiven you for that, you don't have to apologize to me again. You were just blinded by love, so you couldn't see all the mistakes he made. I'm not mad at you because I can understand you. I've also been blinded by love. It had happened twenty years ago when I met a very... _complicated_ woman. But after a few months, I realized that she was just using me so I broke up with her. You don't have to feel sorry. I'm not mad at you."

Liana returned the smile, patting his back softly. "I am very lucky to have such an understanding son. If only Seitor and Sydori would be like you... I still can't believe they are on your father's side after everything he did. I don't want to know what lies he had told them. I can only assume that he has manipulated them and told them I am a bad person. He has told them many lies, I'm pretty sure about that," she replied quietly. Sadness was reflected by her voice but also by her eyes which rested on her hands.

Kelrian pulled her in a comforting hug, stroking her back softly. "I'm pretty sure they will realize one day that they are on the wrong side. I'm sure they will return to us sooner or later. They come after you so they are pretty smart. They just can get manipulated pretty easy, that's the only problem. But I'm sure they will realize sooner or later that father is wrong. Until then we must be patient and hope for the best."

Liana put her head on his shoulder and enjoyed the comfortable hug. They stayed like this for a few minutes, then they pulled away. They stared at each other for nearly five minutes without saying anything. Liana was the one who broke the comfortable silence. "How are things going with your girlfriend? You still haven't told me her name. I'm curious who it is, just so you know."

Kelrian frowned. "I'm not quite sure, to be honest. It's complicated..."

Liana sat down on a chair, offering her son to do the same. Kelrian didn't hesitate and sat opposite to her. "We have time, Kel. Tell me everything and I'll see how I can help you."

Kelrian nodded and started to explain what had happened while he and Elena had been held captive. He told her that he had kissed her and slept with her.

He was not proud of that but it had not been his fault. The potion had influenced him. There had been nothing he could have done to prevent that. Nevertheless, he still felt guilty. He didn't know why he was blaming himself but he was doing it and he wouldn't stop until Sylvanas forgave him.

Liana listened carefully, encouraging him to continue to speak whenever he stopped. She signalized him that she understood him and would do anything to help him. She would support him no matter what would happen.

He didn't say Sylvanas' name, he referred to her as his girlfriend whenever he spoke about her. His mother asked about her again so he told her that he wanted to keep her identity secret until the right moment would come. Liana had told him in return that she didn't have to know who it was and that she hoped he would reconcile with his girlfriend as soon as possible.

As soon as Kelrian was done with explaining, they talked about casual topics and later about politics and what was going on in the world. They also talked about the ongoing war between the Alliance and the Horde.

"As far as I know, the Ranger-General and her soldiers are travelling to Lordaeron to help the humans drive out the orcs," said Liana.

"I've been ordered to join Ranger-Captain Sweetblossom's company and move to the capital city of Lordaeron. The humans assume that the orcs will attack it soon so I will join the defence while Sylvanas and her army will flank them from behind once they started the siege. That's what they told me. I will see my girlfriend once the orcs are either defeated or forced to retreat. Until then, I have to wait and hope for the best."

Liana put her hand on his shoulder, patting it softly. Her voice was soothing as she spoke. "I'm pretty sure you will make up with her. She will forgive you once she knows the truth. You just have to believe in it.". Kelrian didn't say anything in return. He just nodded at her and gave her a warm smile.

"When will you depart?" she asked.

"Tomorrow."

Worry was reflected by her eyes as she responded to him. "Promise me you will take care of yourself and return to me in one piece. I don't want to lose you. I was shocked when Sylvanas' rangers told me that you didn't return after the battle. These two months had been very difficult for me. I only got through it and didn't break because Liadrin and Varo helped me. Promise me you will survive and return home."

Kelrian put his hands on her cheeks, caressing them softly as he stared into her eyes. "I will, mother. This time, I won't be captured by the enemy. This time, I will return after the end of the battle. Promised," he replied quietly. He put a quick kiss on her forehead, then he pulled away.

She nodded at him, staring into his eyes. "You can come to me anytime and tell me everything that bothers you."

"I will keep that in mind, mother. But there is nothing you have to worry about," he responded. It was not the entire truth. He chose not to tell her about the nightmares because Sen'za had told him about a mixture of herbs, a certain powder and other ingredients that might help him. He had obtained these ingredients and combined them after she had told him how to do it.

He consumed the mixture regularly and it really helped him. He was no longer having nightmares so he could sleep without waking up in the middle of the night. He was not sure if this solution was permanent nor did he know if it was the best solution. But it was the only solution he had at the moment. Maybe he should speak to Sylvanas about it. Maybe she would have a better solution. He didn't want to get addicted to that mixture. There must be something else that might help him. He hoped that at least.

He had asked about side effects but the troll had told him that she had no clue if there were any side effects. She had told him it was not impossible and had advised him to not consume it too often. He had also asked her if she had a better solution but she had told him this was the only solution she had. She didn't know how to solve his problem differently.

Kelrian only hoped that this mixture will help him permanently. He had decided to take it in rations until he had used it up, then he will see if it had worked.

"I'm glad then," Liana responded and smiled at him.

Kelrian returned the smile. "I shall look after my siblings. They haven't seen me for over three months. I'm sure they missed me. I want to see them and say goodbye to them before I depart tomorrow."

"Let's go to them together, shall we?" asked his mother.

Kelrian nodded to her and regarded her for a few moments, then he followed her out of the room.


	45. Lordaeron

Lordaeron.

A massive city which looked more like a fortress than a capital city of a human kingdom. Thick and large walls surrounded it. Every ten miles along the walls stood a thin but gigantic tower. The defensive system was well has been enhanced to withstand the orcs for as long as possible. Lots of soldiers patrolled through the streets of the city every day and every night. Numerous stood on the walls and the towers and looked out for enemies.

There were dozens of spies which were riding through the kingdom and looked out for the orcs. They would return to the capital city once they had spotted the enemy. The last time, the orcs had been seen in the middle of the kingdom near Andorhal. The scouts guessed they would only need a week or two to reach the capital city.

But the humans were prepared. They had produced more weapons, armours and ammunitions for bows, guns and cannons. They had also asked the other kingdoms for troops. Quel'Thalas, Ironforge, Gilneas and Stromgarde had promised Lordaeron to send as many soldiers as they could spare.

Nevertheless, King Terenas Menethil was worried that the army wouldn't be large enough to stop the massive army of the orcs who raided one village after the other. His kingdom was in danger and there was nothing he could do about it.

The high elves were following the army of the orcs and would approach them from behind once a battle will start. He knew that more soldiers were on the way to their aid but he wasn't sure if they would arrive in time. It was possible that they would arrive too late. He didn't want to imagine what would happen if the orcs would break through the main gate. Tens of thousands of innocents will die if Lordaeron's gates would fall.

He wished he could evacuate them but he didn't know where. The capital cities of the kingdoms of the Alliance were the safest places for the civilians. There were no other places where his people were safer than in the capital. The other capital cities were already overcrowded so he couldn't send his people there. They had to stay in the capital city of Lordaeron and hope the defenders will be able to hold the city until the reinforcements would arrive.

He didn't fear the orcs nor did he fear to die. He would fight for his people if he must but he was not sure if he would be a great support. He was over fifty years old, had grey hair and aching bones. He had been a talented fighter in his youth but he was no longer young **.** He was nothing more than an old man who would be too slow to keep up with his much younger enemies. But he will not hesitate to grab his sword and fight if he must. Even if he would die in battle, he would at least die fighting and not die while fleeing.

Terenas ran his fingers over his eyelids, taking a deep breath. He opened his eyes after a while, his mood brightened up a little as he saw his only son standing not far away from him and regarding him curiously. The corners of the king's lips formed a smile as Arthas came closer.

"Ah, my son, it's good to see you. Where have you been all day?" he asked and got up from his throne, walking towards his son. His tired bones didn't allow the King of Lordaeron to walk as fast as he wanted. Fortunately, the blond boy came to him so he didn't have to walk the entire distance.

"I trained with Prince Varian," responded the eleven-year-old.

"How was it?"

Arthas smiled at him. "It was awesome. I'm becoming better and better with each passing day thanks to Ambassador Muradin's training. So does Varian. He still beats me but that will change one day. Hopefully."

Terenas chuckled. "He is two years older than you so it's understandable that he is better. Not to mention he started training at a young age. You don't have to put yourself under pressure. You don't have to become the best swordsman in the Eastern Kingdoms to make me proud of you. I'm already proud of you my son.

Maybe you will do something which will have a huge impact on the Eastern Kingdoms. Maybe even on the whole world, who knows? Maybe you will win a great battle, conquer an enemy kingdom or just defend our people. You don't need to purge all evil to be remembered. I'm pretty sure everyone will remember the name Arthas Menethil, even in hundreds of years. Your name will not be forgotten nor will the name of our family be forgotten. Our family will always rule over Lordaeron and do its best to protect our people from all threats. Always remember that you don't have to do extraordinary things to be admired and loved. You just have to make sure that your people are happy and don't have to live in fear. That's all you have to do."

Arthas gave his father an understanding nod. "I will remember that, father."

Terenas put his hand on his son's right shoulder, patting it softly. "So tell me, my son. Why did you come to me this time?" he asked curiously.

"I wanted to tell you that we have guests who are waiting in front of the door," responded Arthas.

Terenas raised an eyebrow "Guests?"

Arthas nodded his head but didn't say who it was because he didn't know these persons. But there was a person in the room who knew the visitors. A man in silver-coloured iron armour that wasadorned by golden and blue stripes came closer to his king and prince. "Am I allowed to say something, sire?" asked the man.

Terenas turned his head and looked at the man. He had short red coloured hair, a sharp chin and green eyes. He was over six feet tall and had broad shoulders. "You are allowed to speak, Lieutenant Falric," spoke the king.

Falric nodded at him. "The visitors are two Ranger-Captains from Quel'Thalas. They just arrived with their companies of at least two hundred rangers. I assume they came to us to support us while the Ranger-General and her army are still in the south of our kingdom. I also assume they will arrive a few days after the orcs."

Terenas gave him a thankful nod. "Tell them to come in. I want to speak to them."

Falric bowed in front of his king and hurried to the large door. The guards, which stood next to it, opened it and allowed him to slip through. The door was opened again after nearly three minutes. Three rangers entered the room. One of them wore a green uniform while the other two wore blue uniforms.

Terenas noticed that his son regarded them curiously. He had been very little the last time he had seen an elf. He didn't remember how they looked like so he regarded them curiously. The excitement Arthas felt was reflected by his face. He still stood near the throne on which his father had sat down before the elves had entered the room.

The elves came closer and pulled their hoods down, bowing before the king to show him their respect. Terenas made a friendly gesture with his hand. "I welcome you in Lordaeron, rangers. I'm glad you answered my call for aid and came to help me defend the capital city and its inhabitants."

"It's a pleasure for us to fight with you against these green monstrosities," spoke the ranger with the green uniform. "My name is Alleria Windrunner. I'm pretty sure you have heard of me before."

Terenas grinned at her answer. "I have, indeed. I've heard that the Windrunner siblings are very capable fighters. I've heard that you and your siblings slew hundreds of trolls during the last years." He regarded her for a few moments, his face showed sympathy. "I'm sorry about what happened to your brother. I will help you as best as I can to make the orcs pay for what they did to your family and your people. I am no longer able to fight but I have an army of very capable warriors."

Alleria nodded at him. "I'm looking forward to killing as many of these bastards as I can."

Terenas didn't respond to her. He looked at his son for a few moments before he looked at the other female ranger. "And who are you?" he asked curiously. The ranger had middle-long blonde hair, some of her strands were dyed blue. She was beautiful. Not as beautiful as Alleria but still much more beautiful than most women Terenas had ever seen in his life.

"I am Ranger-Captain Vara Sweetblossom. It's a pleasure for me to meet you, King Menethil," she said and lowered her head in respect.

Terenas chuckled. "Please call me Terenas. We are on the same side and have the same goals. There is no need to be so formal."

"As you wish, your highness."

Terenas chuckled once again but didn't say anything this time. His gaze fell on the last ranger. A handsome male with long blonde hair. The king made a gesture, signalizing the elf to introduce himself.

"My name is Kelrian Sunsinger. I'm just a normal ranger but Captain Windrunner decided to take me to such important meetings so I could learn about politics and strategic planning. It's an honour for me to be allowed to join the defence of your capital city."

"We need every capable fighter we can get. I'm glad that you are here, Kelrian," responded the older man.

"My bow is at your service."

Terenas nodded and pointed at his son. "This is my son Arthas. You may know that I have a daughter too but she is busy doing things with her mother. If you don't mind, I would allow him to listen to our meeting."

"We don't mind," replied Alleria. "As the crown prince of Lordaeron, it doesn't hurt to come in contact with politics at an early age. He will need the knowledge one day when he rules this kingdom."

"You are right, Alleria. He will be a good king, I'm sure about that."

"He will make you proud and bring honour to your family. I'm pretty sure you will raise him to a just and honourable man," spoke Vara.

Terenas nodded. "I share your opinion. I think he will do great things in the future. He will handle every threat and will only act in the interest of our people. He will make sure they will be protected from any danger. No matter who will cross his way, he will protect his people and his loved ones."

Terenas looked at him, noticing that Arthas' cheeks were reddened a little. He was happy that his father spoke so highly of him and put so much trust in him. He wanted to make his father proud of him. He had sworn to train hard and become a just king. He had sworn to protect his people by any means and make sure they would lack nothing **.**

"Do you have children?" Terenas addressed the elf with the facial tattoo.

"I have a son. His name is Arator," replied Alleria.

"Arator...I've heard that name before. Turalyon is his father, isn't he?"

Alleria nodded her head.

"Turalyon is one of our best paladins we have. He is one of the students of the legendary paladin Anduin Lothar. He fought in numerous battles and slew dozens of orcs so far. He can be really lucky to have such a charming woman as his lover."

Alleria smiled. "He is a great man. I love him with all my heart."

Terenas nodded at her and regarded her for a few moments before he turned his head to look at Vara. "What about you?"

"I have a daughter at the age of twenty-three."

"So, she's been considered as an adult for a few days now, right? I've heard your king changed the laws. Every high elf over twenty years is considered as an adult now, right?"

Kelrian was the one who responded to him. "You are right, your highness. Since this change, the law now considers me as an adult. Before that, I was considered a teenager, even at the age of sixty-nine. Now, I can join any club or buy certain things without needing to ask my parents first. Some of the laws we have are still unnecessary but I understand that our king has other things in his mind. We are at war, after all. He gives his best to protect our people so we understand that he doesn't have the time to change the laws which need to be changed. I just hope he'll have the time once the war will be over and we have defeated the orcs."

"Let me tell you one thing. Being the king is more difficult than it looks. I have a lot of tasks to do every day and a lot of pressure rests on my shoulders. The crown is a burden but I wear it with pride. The people expect from me that I am always doing the right thing. I will do everything for my people and protect them as best as I can," replied Terenas. He paused for a few moments, clearing his throat. "But we didn't meet to have small talk. Go ahead and tell me what you want to say or what you want me to do."

Alleria came closer to him and pulled a rolled-up scroll out of her sleeve. She handed it to Falric who didn't hesitate to bring it to his king. The king unrolled it and read it carefully. He handed the scroll back to Falric who folded it again. "So, the Ranger-General returned to Silvermoon and won't fight in the upcoming battle for health reasons. That's unfortunate. She is the best archer of Quel'Thalas, isn't she?"

"She is," admitted Alleria. "But we have to fight without her. We have numerous capable fighters. We just have to plan everything to the last detail. The upcoming battle will be rough. A lot of people will die."

Terenas' eyes reflected worry. "That's unavoidable, I think. We can only hope that we lose as few soldiers as possible," he made a small pause and ran his fingers over his forehead. "Who leads the army in the Ranger-General's absence and how many soldiers will come to our aid?"

"We withdrew half of our forces from Silvermoon City and put them together with the rest of the main army so we have about twenty thousand soldiers, mostly Farstriders and Silvermoon Guards, who will attack the orcs from behind once they try to siege this city. Ranger-Captain Sunbather will lead the soldiers. She has a lot of experience and my sister's trust because she is her best friend. She knows what she has to do."

Terenas nodded at her. "That sounds good. The rest of my army which is still outside will come to our aid. Hopefully, they arrive before the orcs. I also hope the Ranger-General has nothing serious so she will get better soon," he said and made a small pause, taking a deep breath. The elves knew that he had something on his mind. They could see it in his eyes which rested on his son who still stood on the same spot and followed the conversation curiously. "I have a favour to ask you," he said eventually and looked at Alleria.

"I'm listening."

"I'm not sure if we can hold this city so I want to make sure my family is alright in case Lordaeron falls. I want you to bring them to Silvermoon City if that's okay. It's by far the safest place at the moment so it's the best if they remain there until the war is over,"he said, his voice and eyes reflected worry.

"There shouldn't be a problem with that. We can escort them to Silvermoon through a portal. You just have to tell us when," said Vara.

Terenas looked at his son, receiving an understanding nod. He knew his son wouldn't be the biggest fan of leaving him but he was smart enough to understand that he had to go. His father just wanted his safety and the safety of his entire family. Every father wanted his family to be safe. Arthas wouldn't contradict him. He would never dare, especially not in front of such popular guests. He knew he will return as soon as the war will be over.

"You should take Prince Varian of Stormwind with you then. He came to us after the destruction of Stormwind City. He is our guest and a friend of Arthas so I want to make sure he is safe too."

"We will take him with us," responded Vara.

"Follow me to my office then so we can talk about battle tactics and over other important topics," the human king said as he got up from his throne. The elves waited until he had walked over to them and followed him out of the throne room.

* * *

Another night without nightmares. The mixture really worked, for the moment at least. He had no clue if the nightmares would be gone forever. Five days had passed since Kelrian had arrived in Lordaeron. Five days in which he hadn't taken the mixture. It looked good but he didn't want to leap into hasty conclusions. He had to be patient and find out what would happen.

He didn't know much about the mixture so everything could be possible. He hoped that no side effects or withdrawal symptoms would occur. He hoped that taking the mixture for a week would have a positive long-term effect on him. He never wanted to have nightmares again. The last time he had dreamed of his father hitting his mother over and over again. He had also done other things to her in his nightmare. Unspeakable had been horrible to watch. The worst was that Kelrian assumed that something like that had most likely happened in the past. He was just glad that his father was locked in his cell and will never get out. He deserved it after everything he had done.

Kelrian closed his eyes for a few moments, took a deep breath and opened them again. He looked at the small package in his backpack. He wanted to open it and consume a portion of its content. He wanted to do it so badly that it was not easy to hold himself back. His skin was itching and the tips of his fingers tingled softly. It was not easy to not take the package and open it. It took a lot of effort to control himself.

He gave his hands another task to do so they wouldn't try to open the package. Instead, they were adjusting his ranger uniform until it fit perfectly. He had to look perfect because he will meet the entire royal family of Lordaeron. Ranger-Captain Sweetblossom, a few other rangers and he will bring the royal family of Lordaeron to Silvermoon City soon. The orcs had been faster than anyone expected. They were only a march of five or six days away from the capital city. King Terenas had decided to evacuate his family and hisprominent guest before it would be too late.

Vara's group will bring them to Silvermoon City and return the following day. They will stay in Silvermoon City for one day, so Kelrian would have enough time to speak to Sylvanas if she wanted to see him. He hoped that and also hoped that she was alright. King Terenas had mentioned that she had returned to Silvermoon City because of health reasons. He hoped these health issues weren't serious ones. He was worried about her.

He wondered why Alleria hadn't mentioned anything to him and let him find it out this way. Maybe she had just forgotten to tell him what had happened. A lot happened in these times of war. Everyone was very busy these days. Especially the higher-ranked rangers like the lieutenants and captains. Alleria must have a lot in her mind, so it was not unlikely that she had just forgotten to tell him.

But he still wondered why no one else had told him about Sylvanas' return **.** He will find out himself what was wrong with Sylvanas if he would get the chance to talk to her. He hoped he could talk to her. He had to make things up with her and explain what had happened. He hoped she would forgive him.

He didn't want to participate in the defence of Lordaeron without knowing if she had forgiven him or not. He also didn't want to participate in a huge and important battle, knowing that the woman he loved was still mad at him. He could die during the battle so he wanted Sylvanas to at least forgive him before he would return to Lordaeron and risk his life. He didn't want to die knowing that Sylvanas was still mad at him. The following few days could be his last days so he wanted to see Sylvanas and speak to her one last time before the battle will begin.

Kelrian checked his uniform in the mirror one more time before he turned around and walked to the door. He left his goods in the room and locked it once he had walked out of it. He followed the bordering corridors until he came to the throne room where lots of people were waiting. Ranger-Captain Vara was busy talking to King Terenas. They spoke about Quel'Thalas and Silvermoon City. The king told her to greet the Ranger-General from him when the conversation was over.

Not far away from them stood the other three members of the royal family. Terenas' wife Lianne wore a beautiful beige dress. She had long brown coloured hair, brown eyes and a beautiful face which didn't reflect her age. Like her husband, she was over fifty years old but she still looked like she was in her forties. She had expensive and magnificent earrings and a necklace around her neck which was made out of small diamonds. She had decided against taking her crown with her. She would live in another capital city of an allied kingdom for a while, so she wouldn't need it.

She was talking to her kids who had mixed feelings about the departure. Arthas was worried but also excited to see the capital city of Quel'Thalas. He had only heard positive things about it. For example, that it was the most beautiful city in the Eastern Kingdoms. He wanted to see much of it while he would stay there and hope he could return home soon. He believed his father and his men would fend the orcs off and defeat them once and for all.

Next to him stood his sister Calia. She was two years older than him and had the same blond hair like him. But hers was longer than his. His hair was rather short while hers reached to her shoulders. She wore a blue coloured dress but no jewellery. She was only thirteen years old so she didn't need any accessories yet.

She was more worried than excited. She was worried about her father, the kingdom and its inhabitants. She was afraid the orcs would storm the capital city and kill everyone who gets in their way. But like her younger brother, she believed her father would handle the situation and protect their people.

Not far away from them stood a certain guest who lived in Lordaeron for three years. After the destruction of Stormwind City, Prince Varian Wrynn had been brought to Lordaeron. He will live there as long as the orcs weren't defeated and Stormwind City wouldn't have been rebuilt. If it would ever be rebuilt. Nobody could predict the war's outcome. Many guessed that the balance of power was in favour of the Alliance but that didn't mean anything. Nobody knew what the orcs were capable off and how many aces they had up their sleeves. Everything was possible.

Varian Wrynn was the prince of Stormwind. Technically he was the king but the kingdom no longer existed and could only be re-established when the orcs would leave the territories which had once belonged to Varian's kingdom. He would be king then because his father died during the first war. Varian was the last of his bloodline. The last lion.

He was a year older than Calia. He had dark brown hair, wore a blue tunic and matching trousers. Like the shoes of all present royals, his were made out of the finest leather of the Eastern Kingdoms.

There were several servants who carried suitcases, bags and other pieces of luggage. It didn't seem that the queen had only packed the essentials in the luggage but nobody cared. There were enough servants who would bring everything through the portal on which three mages were working at the moment.

About ten rangers and ten of King Terenas' personal guards stood next to the mages and were only waiting that it would be fully opened. Terenas' guards would also stay in Silvermoon City and accompany the royal family wherever they would go. It wasn't really necessary because Silvermoon was a very safe place but Terenas feared that the orcs might have smuggled a few assassins into the city. He just wanted to know his family safe so he had insisted that his men would follow them everywhere.

Kelrian walked through the room and nodded to Captain Sweetblossom who nodded to him in return. He was not late. He had arrived at the exact time. Ten o'clock in the morning, as Vara had told him. Kelrian stood behind the captain and regarded the scene in front of him.

Terenas hugged his children, kissed their foreheads and then hugged and kissed his wife who shed a few tears but wiped them away quickly. The king asked his children to take care of his mother in his absence. They promised him that they would do that before they hugged him once again. The farewell was not as emotional as Kelrian would have expected but it was clearly visible that the royal family was worried about the well-being of the king and the people of Lordaeron.

Terenas spoke a few comforting words to his family and to Prince Varian before he ordered Lieutenant Falric to bring them through the portal. The young male obeyed without hesitation, guiding them to the portal. The high elves followed them and walked through the portal once the humans had disappeared through it.

They came out in the middle of the throne room of Sunstrider Spire, the palace where the royal family of Quel'Thalas lived. The guests and the rangers had expected that High King Anasterian Sunstrider would sit on his throne and welcome them but he was not in the room. But his son was.

Kael'thas stood near the throne, a smile appeared on his face as he noticed the visitors. A happy and excited expression could be seen on his handsome fine features as he came closer. He wore a purple robe, his golden hair was so long and that it reached beneath his shoulders.

He stopped in front of the royal humans and made a curtsey. "It's a pleasure see you again after so long, Queen Menethil," he said and gave her a wide smile. He took her hand and kissed it softly, holding it for a few moments longer than necessary. He let go off her hand and looked at the queen's children. "And you two must be Calia and Arthas Menethil. It's also a pleasure to meet you. My name is Kael'thas Sunstrider."

"The Prince of Quel'Thalas," said Calia as she looked at her brother.

Kael'thas nodded his head. "You are a smart girl, I see." He regarded them for a few moments, then he turned his head to look at Varian. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Prince Varian Wrynn. Don't worry, we will defeat these green monsters soon enough and rebuilt Stormwind City. My people will contribute some of the necessary resources once the war is won."

"Thank you, your majesty," replied Varian.

Kael'thas looked back at the queen. "We will also send more supplies, weapons and soldiers to the capital city later that day. The orcs will regret the day they came through the Dark Portal."

Lianne nodded at him and gave him a small smile. "I hope that everything works out for the best."

"I hope so too. Let me allow you to show you the beautiful palace, your rooms and later the city," he said and signalized the middle-aged woman, her family and her companions to follow him. They didn't hesitate to follow him. He guided them to the room's exit but he didn't leave it yet. He walked over to a certain woman and whispered something in her ear as he pressed a soft kiss on her cheek.

Alina nodded to him and took the envelope, he had pulled out of his sleeve, out of his hand. He stared into her lovely eyes for a few moments, gave her a barely recognizable smile and whispered something to her. She whispered something in return and smiled, waiting until he and his guests had left the throne room.

She turned around and walked towards Vara's group which began to split up and walk into different directions. She stopped in front of Kelrian and gave him the envelope then she walked away without saying a word to him. Kelrian's face showed confusion as she stared at the beauty with the mid-night coloured hair.

He averted his gaze and looked at the item in his hand, recognizing Sylvanas' seal. He walked away until he was alone and broke the seal. He opened the envelope, pulling a sheet of paper out of it. There was a short message on the paper.

_We have to talk._

_Meet me in my office as soon as you can._

_S.W._


	46. Mixed Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is much longer than the chapters I've posted before. It's twice as long as a normal chapter but I couldn't split in two chapters, even if I wanted. I had to leave it like that because it made no sense to split it.
> 
> I think most of you have been waiting for this chapter so eagerly. I hope so at least. Anyways, I hope you will enjoy it.

The sun shone brighter than ever. It shined through the crowns of the trees which leaves were coloured in red, orange and yellow. The sky was bright blue and clear of any clouds. The weather was pleasantly warm. It was not too hot but not too cold either. The temperature was just perfect.

The twittering of the birds echoed through the air and was even hearable through the slightly opened window in Sylvanas' office. The curtains were not pulled together so Sylvanas was able to look out of the window and regard the beautiful landscape outside. She was nearly lying in her chair, her legs were stretched out and her back leaned against the backrest. Her hands rested on her belly, stroking it carefully as she stared out of the window.

Normally she would wear her Ranger-General uniform while she was in her office in the headquarters of the Farstrider Enclave in Silvermoon. But since she noticed she was pregnant, she couldn't wear it anymore because the people will notice that her belly wasn't flat anymore. It was slightly swollen and the people knew she wouldn't get weight no matter how much she would eat. They would find out quickly that she was pregnant which would cause that numerous rumours, about who the father of the child was, would come out of nowhere and would be spread by everyone.

Sylvanas didn't want to get more attention than she already had, nor did she want that people would annoy her by congratulating her and asking her who the father was. She didn't have the time for that. And not the nerves. She was already frustrated that she could no longer participate in the war. She could wear armour that would cover her entire belly but that wouldn't protect her from everything. The risk that she might get injured and lose her baby was too high. She would have taken the risk but Verena had talked to her for hours and convinced her that it was the best for her to stay in Silvermoon.

Sylvanas was still not happy about it but she knew Verena was right. She would never forgive herself if she would lose her child only because she wanted to participate in a battle or two. She may be the best ranger in Quel'Thalas but she was still a mortal after all. She was no godlike creature that was immune to everything and couldn't be hurt at all.

She could still get injured, bleed and die. She had to take care of herself but also of the life of the tiny creature in her belly. She had more responsibility than before. She was an expectant mother. She couldn't just join a battle even if she wanted to fight for her kingdom and for the Alliance.

She knew her rangers would fight differently when she wouldn't participate in the war. They wouldn't be as precise and deadly as they would be if she were around. Their morale and fighting spirit wouldn't be increased if she wouldn't be around but the Ranger-General was sure they would win the war without her aid.

All captains and lieutenants were strong and smart enough to deal with the enemies without her aid. Nevertheless, she wished she could join her army. But she had accepted she had to stay out of the war until the child's birth. She would stay in her office and do paperwork and other tasks. She could only hope the war will be over soon.

Sylvanas wore a blue coat which reached to her feet and allowed her to hide her belly beneath it. Nobody would find out that she was pregnant if she would wear coats all the time. For a while at least. The people will find out one day that she was pregnant. She was sure about that.

The coat was pretty comfortable, she had to admit that. It was so soft and light. It also prevented that someone could ogle her. It happened very often that the ones she talked to stared at her breasts or her exposed stomach. Men and women alike. That wouldn't happen as long as she would wear a coat like this one.

She opened her coat a little and lifted the shirt, she wore beneath it, a little. She regarded her slightly swollen stomach. She was only in her fourth month so it didn't look as if she had devoured a larger version of a soccer ball. Her baby bump was clearly visible but it was not that large yet. She could still hide it beneath her belly armour but then everyone would ask her why she would wear her armour in the halls of the Farstriders so she had decided to wear a coat instead.

She put her hand on her exposed belly, caressing it carefully. She wondered what Kelrian would say when she would tell him. She wondered if he would be happy or if he would be shocked. She hoped he would accept it and not storm off the room because everything would be too much for him. She was a bit worried about his reaction. She feared the worst even though she had no reason to. She had noticed that she felt insecure from time to time. She had never felt insecure before. It had started a week ago and she didn't know why she felt that way nor did she know what to do against it.

She assumed the hormones were responsible for that. They were driving her crazy from time to time. Sylvanas knew it was only natural during pregnancy but she didn't like it. She didn't like the condition she was in from time to time. She hated to feel insecure and uncomfortable. But there was nothing she could do about it. She had to endure it because she couldn't fight it.

She regarded her belly for a few more moments, then she pulled her neckline down a bit, putting her chin on her chest to look at her breasts. She wore a bra but she could still see the difference between her current breasts which had grown and her natural breasts.

She could also feel the difference. She cupped her breasts with her hands, kneading them softly. They felt different. Much larger and fuller. She assumed Kelrian would love them if he would ever see them. That could only happen if she would meet him and clear up things with him. She wanted to know the truth. The truth about what had happened between him and Elena.

She knew him so she didn't believe he had cheated on her. He was not such a person who would do that. She was sure about that. Normally, at least. Because of her hormones, she was no longer completely sure about that. She had to talk to him and let him explain everything.

Sylvanas stopped kneading her aching breasts and put her hands on her belly again. She was glad she didn't wear her armour anymore. Her waist circumference had been increased by four inches. Her armour was made for battle and hugged her form like a second skin. With the increased circumference, the armour had started to pinch her belly.

It was an unpleasant feeling and the increased size of her breasts didn't make it easier. Her custom-made chest guard also became too tight. It had still been bearable but she knew it would only get worse the more time would pass. It had been the right decision to return to Silvermoon because the too tight armour would have only disturbed her.

She could have expanded it but then everyone would have known that something was wrong. Not wrong but different. Rumours would have been spread shortly after she would have visited her favourite blacksmith.

Furthermore, she couldn't allow herself to get distracted by her armour. She had to be one hundred percent focused when she fought, otherwise, a too late reaction or a false step or decision could cost her life. And the life of her child.

Losing her child was the worst that could happen. She wanted to protect it by any means, so she had no other choice than staying in Silvermoon while the others would fight for Lordaeron. She knew their chance of victory would be much higher if she would fight with her rangers but she had to bite in the sour apple and stay in Silvermoon.

The increase of her waist circumference and the size of her breasts, her mood swings and the phases in which she felt very insecure were not the only symptoms she had noticed since she knew about her pregnancy. There were many other symptoms Sylvanas had noticed over the past months. Vomiting from time to time had started for her in the third month which had been much later than it had been for Alleria. Her sister had vomited for the first time after a few weeks, while Sylvanas vomited for the first time in the ninth week. Her breasts were aching because they grew, her belly was tingling. Headaches, fatigue and faintness happened from time to time.

Sometimes, she didn't feel in the mood to do anything. Sometimes she even turned up her nose at her favourite food. The worst of all that she was very horny every third or fourth day. It was unbearable most of the times. Her womanhood prickled whenever that happened and she started to think about certain persons. Most of the times, she imagined Kelrian's muscular nude body, his large manhood and his sexy ass. But sometimes, she even imagined Verena and the good memories about them making love.

It felt wrong but she didn't have control over her thoughts. She masturbated regularly but that was not enough to satisfy her sexual hunger. She wished Kelrian was here at this very moment. She may have not forgiven him yet but she needed to satisfy her lower needs. Normally, she could control herself and survive a long period without sex or masturbation. She had survived sixty years without sex but since the third month, she couldn't control her needs anymore.

She could no longer suppress them. But she had to. She wouldn't sleep with anyone who was not Kelrian. He was the only person she wanted to make love to. There was no other person she desired. Not Nathanos and not herself was the only way to satisfy her lower desires. Her only hope was that she would make up with Kelrian quickly but she wouldn't let her decisions and her behaviour be influenced by her lust. She had to remain calm and focused. She needed to have a serious talk with him and she knew it would be hard to control herself and not get distracted by the way her body behaved. It will be hard but it was feasible.

She still had the tiny pink toy in her lowest drawer which she had locked. The key was in a box on the other side of the room. She would only use it if she couldn't take it anymore, knowing it would remain in her for quite some time once she had inserted it. Sylvanas really hated her current condition. She had expected that her body would give her a hard time but she had never thought it would be that hard.

A loud sigh escaped her lips as she leaned back. She looked at the clock, noticing it was twelve o'clock. She knew that Kelrian would return to Silvermoon City that day and she knew Kael'thas would deliver him the envelope she had given him. She wondered when Kelrian would arrive in Silvermoon City and how long he would need to reach her office. She guessed he wouldn't arrive in Silvermoon before midday and he would need at least one hours to reach the headquarters because the streets were overcrowded.

Considering everything, she assumed she would have two hours left before he would arrive. That meant she had enough time to please her _annoying_ womanhood and do paperwork. She leaned forward and reached out for the second-lowest drawer and opened it. She pulled a certain tin out and unscrewed the lid. She brought it to her nose and sniffed at it. She loved the scent of coconut oil.

She took a few breaths, inhaling the lovely scent. She dipped the fingers of her right hand in it, making sure that enough lubricant gel stuck on them before she pulled on the waistband of her leggings. She pulled her leggings down until they only covered half of her upper thighs. Then she pulled on her green panties and sneaked her right hand beneath it.

She closed her eyes, tilted her head back and parted her lips as her fingers entered her already dripping wet womanhood. Her aroused southern lips parted easily, her inner walls tightened around the three fingers she had pushed inwards. She imagined Kelrian's sweat-covered naked body, his muscles and his aroused large manhood.

She imagined him putting her on the top of her desk, spreading her thighs and entering her without hesitation. She imagined him rhythmically moving his hips, pushing his manhood as deep as possible inside her. She wanted to imagine so many things he would to do her but she was not able to continue what she had started because loud knocks on her door brought her back to reality.

She cursed under her breath, pulled her fingers out of her womanhood and cleaned them with a handkerchief. She closed the tin with the lubricant gel and put in back in her drawer, closing put her leggings back in place, sat upright and tied her checked her desk quickly, making sure that she hadn't overseen anything suspicious. Then she told the disturber to come in. The door was opened and Kelrian entered the room.

She noticed that her heartbeat became much faster as she recognized him. She automatically crossed one leg over the other and corrected her posture so she was sitting upright. She leaned forward, crossed her arms in front of her chest and put them on the table top. She was so nervous but she had no clue why. She hadn't been nervous since she had been a young woman and attended her entrance examination. There was no reason for her to be nervous. Nevertheless, she was nervous and she had no idea why.

She regarded him closely. He wore his ranger uniform, his hair was a bit shorter than usual. It barely reached to his shoulders and had been combed. Sylvanas noticed that he looked paler than usual. At first glance, she thought he looked a bit sickly but she could also be mistaken about that. Maybe she just saw things which weren't there. Maybe she just imagined this.

She regarded him once again. Many questions came in Sylvanas' mind. Had he always looked that good? Or had he become even more handsome than he had been before? Why was her stomach tingling and the regions between her legs were wetter than before? Was he the reason she was feeling so weird at the moment?

Much more questions came in her mind but she banished them out of her head. She signalized him to close the door and sit down on the only other chair in the room. Kelrian obeyed and regarded her while he walked over to her desk. The first thing he noticed was the box of paper handkerchiefs on her desk. It seemed it was true what had been written in the scroll King Terenas had received. Sylvanas seemed to be sick, otherwise, she wouldn't need a full box of handkerchiefs.

He wondered what she got. Maybe she had a runny nose because she had a cold. He assumed that it must be a strong cold if it had forced her to return to Silvermoon City. Maybe a cold was not all that she got. Maybe she had other symptoms which usually came in hand with a cold. Headaches, fever, stomach pains, a sore throat or much more. Maybe she was just feeling unwell. She didn't look sick but she looked exhausted. Maybe she had no cold and was not sick at all.

He sat down eventually, putting his hands on his lap because he didn't know where else to put them. He didn't want to put them on her desk because he couldn't be sure if Sylvanas was not sick. Maybe she was and her desk was already contaminated with numerous pathogens.

He couldn't allow himself to get sick before the upcoming battle. A sneeze at the wrong moment could mean his death, especially when he would hide somewhere. He decided it was the best to not touch Sylvanas and anything she had touched until he knew for sure what she got.

He started to observe her from head to toe again, noticing that she was wearing a coat instead of her Ranger-General uniform. Was she so sick that she needed clothes that warmed her up? Was she feeling cold?Or did she have chills?

He couldn't imagine any reason why she wouldn't wear her uniform. She wore it whenever she was not in her family's house. She only wore different clothes in her free time. If she got any free time. She had no free time at all during these times of war.

He stopped thinking about her outfit as he noticed the barely recognizable small rings under her eyes. It seemed she hadn't gotten enough sleep the past days. Maybe because she was sick or maybe because she was working pretty hard and often worked into the night. He was worried about her. Worried about her condition. He hoped she would get better soon.

Nevertheless, she looked as beautiful as always. Her skin looked perfect. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail. He had never seen her wearing her hair differently. Normally, she wore it loose whenever it was not hidden beneath her hood. But it didn't matter what hairstyle she had. She would look gorgeous with every hairstyle. Even with short hair.

He stared into her eyes, noticing that she did the same. They didn't avert their gazes and didn't say anything. Kelrian was the one who broke their eye contact. He looked at the clock, realizing that they had sat there for half an hour had done nothing except staring at each other.

"So...," he said quietly.

"So...," repeated Sylvanas, not knowing what else to say. There was a lot going on in her mind. She had so many questions but she didn't know where to start. She still hadn't assimilated the talk with Kael'thas she had had a few hours ago. She had to tell Kelrian what she had discussed with the prince but first, she had to find out if she could trust him again.

"Shit happens, I guess," he said and regarded her curiously. He had no clue how to come to the subject he wanted to talk about for two months. He had imagined so many times how he would approach her and tell her everything he had to say. He had thought up many good and understanding arguments he would tell Sylvanas. He had prepared himself sufficiently for this discussion but at this very moment, his mind was blank. He didn't remember any of the arguments he had thought up.

He immediately regretted what he had said. How could he be so dumb and say something like that? There weren't many worse things he could have said. He wouldn't win Sylvanas back by saying that what had happened had been unfortunate. He had to convince her that it had not been his fault and that he was deeply sorry. He wouldn't manage that if he would start a conversation like that. He would love to hit himself but he didn't do it because it would only make things worse if Sylvanas would see that.

He could only hope that Sylvanas wasn't taking it too seriously. He hoped he would get another chance to approach the topic. He cleared his throat, looking at the love of his life. Fortunately for him, she didn't say anything in return nor did she seemed to be angry or confused. She did nothing else than staring at him. That was his second chance and this time he wouldn't give it away by saying something stupid. He decided to have a little small talk and then get down to business.

"It's good to see you, Sylvanas," he said. His voice sounded hoarse.

"It's good to see you too, Kelrian. It's been a while since we last saw each other... What is wrong with your voice?" Sylvanas raised an eyebrow after she had asked her question.

Kelrian shrugged his shoulders, slightly tapping his foot on the floor. He was nervous, his body was very warm and he felt a bit unwell. He hadn't felt like this before he had entered the room. He hadn't felt so nervous in the presence of Sylvanas for more than a decade. The last time he had been so nervous had been during the ranger entrance examinations. He was wondering what was going on.

A few possible reasons came in his mind. Maybe he was so nervous because he had not seen her for two months and he was worried he could mess everything up. Maybe his nervousness was a side effect or withdrawal symptom of his _medicament_. He had still no clue if there were any side effects. Sen'za had told him she didn't know about any side effects because she had never noticed any whenever she had consumed this mixture in the past. Nor had she ever noticed any withdrawal symptoms. She had told him that she never had problems with the mixture.

Maybe she had lied to him. Maybe she had told him the truth. He couldn't know that and he assumed he would never find out. He decided to deal with his nervousness as best as he could. Maybe he would calm down after some time. He just hoped he wouldn't stutter while talking.

Fortunately, he was able to talk without stuttering or making pauses. "I have no clue what is wrong with my voice. But don't worry about me, I'm not sick but I'm afraid you are. I was worried when I heard that you withdrew from the front because of health issues."

She could see it in his eyes that he was speaking the truth. She had no clue why she doubted him that he was really worried about her. He still loved her so he was worried about her. She was still important to him. She had doubted that from time to time within the past weeks for reasons she couldn't explain to herself.

She should know him well enough to be sure she would always be important to him. Nevertheless, she had had phases where she had doubted even the simplest things. Like if returning to Silvermoon City had been the right decision or if Kelrian truly loved her. But at this very moment, she believed he was really worried about her. His worry was not fake.

"I missed you," he said eventually, toying with his fingers while staring at her. "The past two months had felt like an eternity. I had hoped to see you much earlier and talk to you about everything, but both of us have been very busy lately. But I assume we have needed the time to think about everything."

Sylvanas nodded in return, stroking over her belly, which was still hidden beneath her coat, one time without Kelrian noticing.

Kelrian continued to speak. "I'm glad you invited me to come to your office so we can finally talk about what happened."

Sylvanas nodded again.

"It just surprised me that Prince Kael'thas gave me your letter. Well, his girlfriend did after he gave it to her. Nonetheless, he was the one who got the letter from you and not one of your rangers. I'm curious how you managed to convince him to be your messenger boy."

Sylvanas laughed softly. "I had a meeting with him earlier so I asked him to do me this favour," she explained and shifted into a more comfortable sitting position.

Kelrian raised an eyebrow. "A meeting?"

"I will tell you everything if you want because I'm sure it will interest you. But first, let me offer you something to eat or drink."

The corners of his lips formed a smile. "That would be nice."

"What do you want?"

Kelrian made a thoughtful face as he considered what to drink. "I don't need anything to eat but I have the rest of the day off so I wouldn't say no to moonberry juice."

"With alcohol, I assume," replied Sylvanas, giving him a questioning look.

He nodded at her.

Sylvanas opened the third drawer of her desk, taking two bottles and two glasses out. She opened both bottles, pouring the alcohol in a glass and the none alcoholic version in the second glass. She handed him the first and took a sip from her glass.

Kelrian raised an eyebrow. "No alcohol for you today? That's odd. You usually drink lots of it whenever we are alone or when you don't have to attend any meetings for the rest of the day."

"I still have lots of work to do," she responded. It was the truth. She had lots of work to do but that was not the main reason why she didn't consume alcoholic drinks. She was pregnant, so she was not allowed to drink alcohol. She didn't want to tell him yet that she was pregnant, so she kept it secret at first. She will talk to him first and find out the truth, then she would consider if she should tell him or if she should wait for a few more days or weeks. It depended on the outcome of the conversation.

She also knew she would get horny whenever she drank too much. She was already super horny, especially because she couldn't finish what she had started, thanks to Kelrian's early appearing. She would have felt less stressed and horny if she would have managed to bring herself over the edge. It had been prevented so she had to pull herself together to not jump on him and make love with him on the spot.

She crossed her right leg over the other, pressing her thighs tightly together. She could feel the wetness between her legs but she managed to control her needs and didn't show that her nether regions were rebelling against her. She took another sip from her moonberry juice, putting the glass back on her desk after she had enough for the moment.

She cleared her throat and looked at her boyfriend. They hadn't broken up so she could still call him like that. She had seen him one time in four months so she didn't stop looking at him and observe his handsome facial features. If only she could kiss him. She missed his lips and other parts of his body but it was not the right moment to do such things.

Her dirty mind made it much harder for her than she had expected. Her hormones were a burden. A burden she had to deal with. They were driving her crazy from time to time. It was very hard to suppress her primal instincts and lower desires. But she did it somehow. She had no clue how she did that but that didn't matter at all. What mattered was that she had managed it.

"About the meeting with Prince Kael'thas...," started Kelrian with the intention to continue their conversation.

Sylvanas took a deep breath. "You know what your best friend did, right?"

Kelrian nodded. "He killed the troll queen without receiving an order from you. He killed her in front of Zul'jin's eyes to take revenge on him for everything the trolls did to his village and his family," he explained.

Sylvanas took a sip from her glass so did Kelrian. "What do you say to that?"

Kelrian made a thoughtful face. "It was wrong to kill her. She was a prisoner of war. She was defenceless. She was a woman but that didn't matter because our people and their people also send women to battle. Its normal for their females and ours to participate in a war. They are equal to males. There is no difference between killing a woman or a man but there is a huge difference between killing a pregnant woman and a non-pregnant woman. It's outrageous to kill a pregnant woman, no matter which race she belongs to."

Sylvanas smiled for the first time since Kelrian had entered the room. "I'm glad you share my opinion."

Kelrian didn't respond verbally. He just nodded at her as he took another sip and enjoyed the unique taste of the liquid.

"You want to know what I did then, right?"

Another nod came from the male ranger.

The Ranger-General continued. "I discharged him for dishonourable conduct. I threw him out of the organisation. I guess you can imagine how mad he was when he stormed out of my office."

"Zetai is a very... emotional person. He can be very difficult from time to time. I can understand why he is mad but I also understand your point of view. He had no right to kill her. Basically, he killed two persons at the same time."

"He did. Now you wonder what it has to do with Prince Kael'thas, right?"

Kelrian emptied his glass, smiling at Sylvanas as she refilled his glass. "I do."

"It seems that Zetai had complained about my drastic but justified decision to several persons with influence. Prince Kael'thas came to me and gave me a telling-off that I can't just discharge one of the best rangers I have, especially not dishonourably. He told me that he understands my reaction but he reminded me that I need every ranger I can get. He told me that I can't dismiss anyone after I lost so many rangers. He didn't blame me for losing but he reminded me that we don't have enough men to spare someone like Zetai. The military needs every voluntary. Especially such good rangers like him."

Kelrian raised an eyebrow. "Did he convince you to take him back?"

"I'm not finished yet," she hissed. A few moments passed. A few moments where she could think about her harsh reaction. She apologized to him and continued her explanation. "He reminded me of a case which happened decades ago. There was once a mutated lynx that was three times larger than an average lynx and at least five times as deadly as one. It killed half a dozen rangers. We had to kill it even though it was pregnant. We couldn't allow that it would give birth to more of these mutated deadly creatures so we hunted it down and killed it."

Kelrian waited for a few moments until he was sure she wouldn't say more. "I assume the prince compared the troll woman to the mutated beast."

"He did. Many of our people think they are dumb, brutal beasts who must be extinguished. He argued that many of my men share Zetai's opinion and stand by him. All in all, he had said that trolls are no creatures that deserve to exist so he didn't mind if any person would kill a pregnant troll..." She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She opened them after half a minute and looked back at Kelrian who thought about what she had told him.

Sylvanas continued. "There is no way to deny that the trolls are evil but they are intelligent living creatures after all. No mindless monsters. They have family and they can feel love and many other emotions. I might be one of the few persons who think so. Most of our people hate the orcs and the trolls and I can't hold that against them. They killed many of our people so did we kill many of theirs," she said, allowing Kelrian to think about what she had said, and form an opinion.

"I get your point, Syl. I understand what you're thinking. I know you don't want to defend them. I know you don't like the trolls but I get your point. She was a pregnant woman no matter to which race she belongs. Her baby didn't deserve it but she did."

The Ranger-General raised an eyebrow, giving Kelrian a questioning look.

"Together with Zul'jin she committed various crimes against our people. But there's a crime she wanted to commit that you're not aware of."

"What do you mean?" asked the pregnant woman.

Kelrian remained silent for a few moments, took a deep breath and stared into her eyes. He was dead serious. "She ordered her guard to kill me and Elena. She ordered her guard to kill two prisoners of war for no reason. We would be dead if Sen'za wouldn't have distracted the guard. I strangled him with my chains when he turned his back to me. I would have died if she wouldn't have intervened. I want to talk to you about her but we can do that later when we have talked about everything else."

Sylvanas was silent. It took a few moments for her to assimilate what he had just said. Dead. He would have been dead. He would have been dead if that troll wouldn't have saved him. So'mi had ordered his and Elena's execution. The execution of two prisoners of war. Kelrian would be gone forever if her order would have been carried out.

Sylvanas would have never been able to see him again if things would have happened differently. She couldn't believe that So'mi had ordered the executions of the love of her life. What would she be without him? A broken woman who had lost her brother and her lover during the same war. It pained her to imagine losing Kelrian. It pained her to imagine a life without him.

She would have never seen him again if the troll would have carried out So'mi's order. She would have never been able to see his smile again, his handsome face, his muscular body and much more. She would have never been able to spend time with him again, to kiss him and snuggle up to him. She would have never been able to do anything with him again if that troll would have succeeded.

Sylvanas' feelings were mixed. She felt sad but she didn't understand why. Kelrian was still alive and sat in front of her, nevertheless, it felt as if she had lost him. But there was not only the feeling of loss that she noticed. There were also rage and anger. She was mad at this whore of a troll who had ordered to kill her lover.

Nobody was allowed to touch a hair on his head. Anyone who would try to harm him would have to live with the consequences. Nobody wanted to witness the wrath of the Ranger-General. Every enemy was afraid of her for a reason. She was so angry at this very moment that she wished she could ram a knife in the queen's neck but then she remembered that So'mi was already dead. She had been killed by her best ranger who she had trusted. Her best ranger who had disappointed Sylvanas and abused her trust.

The troll queen had paid for what she had done in the past. She had paid for all the crimes she had committed and for ordering Kelrian's execution. She had paid with her life. Sylvanas no longer felt sorry for what had happened to her. She only felt sorry for the unborn baby she had carried in her belly. The baby that would never see the daylight because its mother had been killed.

Sylvanas put her hands on her belly as she thought about the baby. She was afraid that she might lose her had never been afraid of anything in her entire life. Neither of an enemy nor of death itself. She had never been afraid of losing her own life during a battle. She wouldn't shrink back from sacrificing her life for the greater good. But now that she was pregnant, she was afraid of something for the first time of her life. She was afraid of losing her child. It was only natural to be afraid of something but Sylvanas didn't like the feeling. She didn't like to be afraid and feel insecure.

She had never skipped a battle before. She had never retreated because she was afraid to die. For the first time in her life, she had returned to Silvermoon instead of joining the battle. For the first time in her life, she stayed behind safe walls while her soldiers would fight for Lordaeron. She knew she was needed in battle. She knew the chance of victory were higher when she was around but she couldn't join the battle. She couldn't risk losing her baby. She would never forgive herself if that would happen.

It had taken a while and lots of discussions with Verena but in the end, she had decided to remain in Silvermoon City and pretend that she had health issues. She was not a coward and she would fight if her presence would be necessary to win. But she knew her army was in good hands. Verena and Alleria would lead their people to victory and defeat the orcs once and for all.

Sylvanas noticed that she had stared at her belly the whole time while she had been lost in thoughts. She lifted her gaze eventually, looking at Kelrian who regarded her with furrowed brows. She didn't say anything nor did he. They just stared into each other eyes for a while.

Sylvanas cleared her throat eventually, getting the ranger's attention. "So, this blue-skinned troll saved you. That's the reason why you want to talk to me about her," she concluded.

Kelrian nodded. "She could have tortured us or gave Elena to the other troll who would have done unspeakable things to her. But she didn't. Instead, she locked us in a cell and gave us regular decent meals when we drank all the potions she gave us. Most of them had no effect on us, at least none we noticed. Some of them caused pain to us but she did her best to neutralize the side effects. She distracted the bodyguard who was supposed to kill us, which allowed Elena and me to kill him. I managed to get rid of my cuffs with the help of the guard's knife, then I stopped Sen'za from killing the troll queen. Sen'za was afraid the troll queen would tell Zul'jin lies to manipulate him into getting rid of her so she told us that we would have to flee. She gave me the key to free Elena and then we fled together with Sen'za and So'mi as ourhostages _._ "

Sylvanas was silent as she assimilated everything he had just said. She took a sip of her juice, refilling her glass once it was empty. "About these potions she gave you...," Sylvanas started but didn't speak any further because she didn't know what to say.

"Your men searched through her things as they locked her in the cell, didn't they?" he asked.

Sylvanas shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, to be honest. I was not in Silvermoon when she was brought to the prison and I didn't ask the guards what they found. When I returned from the meeting with the other leaders of the Alliance, Zetai and I interrogated the troll queen while someone else interrogated Sen'za. I have no clue which things she had with her because no one told me anything about any valuable objects she brought with her."

"There was a book in her bag in which she always took notes whenever she gave us a potion. Maybe she wrote down which kind of a potion she was trying to create," he told.

"Even if we find out which potions she wanted to create, how would this information help us?" she asked.

"It helps us to understand what happened. I didn't intend to kiss Elena nor did I ever wanted it, just so you know. I... I don't know how to explain it properly. I had no control over my body when it happened. I would have pushed her away if my body would have obeyed my commands. I hope you know that I would never cheat on you. I was not myself back then. The potions were responsible for everything I did."

"So you're saying that the potion influenced you and let you do things you didn't want to do, right?"

He nodded his head. "I didn't initiate the kiss and what happened a few days before," he paused. He had expected the confused expression on Sylvanas' face which appeared at this very moment. He felt guilty even though there was no reason to feel that way. He may have slept with Elena but he hadn't initiated it nor had he been able to do anything to prevent it. He had wanted to stop her but he had not been able to do that. He had been powerless back then.

Nevertheless, it felt for him as if he had cheated on her. He was afraid of what she would say to that. He was afraid she would overreact but he could understand if she would regard it as cheating. He could also withhold the information but that would only lead to more problems once she would find out. And she will. He was sure about that.

She would never forgive him when she would find that out. Also, he didn't want to feel guilty whenever he would be around her. The truth will come out sooner or later. There was no way to keep it from her forever. He was an honest person so he had to tell her even though he knew she wouldn't be happy about it. But he knew it was the only right decision he could make in this situation.

He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. He exhaled loudly and opened his eyes, looking at Sylvanas who had an expecting expression on her face. "I don't know how to explain to you how it happened. I couldn't control my body when it happened. I'm sorry Sylvanas but I have to tell you that I slept with Elena against my will. I didn't want it but my body had its own mind. I only assume the potion caused that I acted this way. I regretted it the day after but regret cannot undo what I have done... I'm sorry," he spoke, his voice was much lower and reflected sadness. His eyes reflected sadness and stared at the ground. He couldn't look into her eyes, not after what he had done.

There was silence. Sylvanas didn't answer him. He couldn't see her face but he assumed that hurt and betrayal were reflected in it. He closed his eyes, preparing himself for the slap he thought would come. But it didn't come. Not in the first ten seconds. Not in the following thirty seconds. Not even after five minutes had passed.

He opened his eyes and lifted his gaze, assuming that Sylvanas had left the room without making a sound. It really surprised him that she was still there and sat on her chair. Her lips formed a thin line, her widened eyes rested on him.

That look was the one look Sylvanas' rangers were afraid of the most because they couldn't judge how she felt whenever she made that facial expression **.** If she would look angry or sad, they could at least try to soothe her but with that expression, no one knew what to do. And no one knew how she would react. Kelrian was worried but he was not afraid of her. She could hit him in the face the next moment or start to sob. Everything was possible. He wouldn't mind if she would hit him. He deserved it in his opinion.

But nothing happened within the next few minutes. Kelrian stood up and walked over to Sylvanas slowly, still wondering how she would react. He reached her and lowered his body until his head was on the same height as hers. He carefully put one hand on her cheek, regarding her worriedly. "I'm so sorry, my dear," he whispered as she turned her head and looked at him. Tears ran down her cheeks but he wiped them away, repeating that he was sorry. He asked for forgiveness but she didn't respond. She didn't say anything, she just stared into his eyes.

"Do you love her?" she asked eventually. Her voice sounded weak and broken.

He shook his head without hesitation, his eyes showed determination. "I don't love her nor do I have any feelings for her. I only regard her as a friend. I will never see her again if you want that. I will never talk to her outside a battle if that's your wish."

Sylvanas didn't respond. Her expression was unreadable so Kelrian decided to order his thoughts and wait. Sylvanas emptied her glass, then she took his. He assumed she would empty it too, but instead she poured the content right in his face. He had not expected that. He opened his eyes and took the box of paper handkerchiefs, Sylvanas offered him. He cleaned his face with several of them and put it back on the desk.

"I think I deserve that," he said quietly.

"I'm not mad at you," said Sylvanas. "But I'm not happy either."

He nodded at her. "I understand you."

"I know you for over a decade. I know you pretty well so I know you would never do something like that to me. Especially not with a woman you're not interested in. I have to talk to your blue-skinned friend to fully understand everything," he said.

He gave her an understanding nod.

"But for now, I forgive you. I believe your story with the potions."

Kelrian smiled and stroked her cheek. "I'm glad then."

He expected her to say something but instead, she remained silent and made a thoughtful face. He wondered what was going on in her mind. Did she wanted to say something or was she still assimilating everything he had told her so far? He assumed that there must be something which didn't want to leave her mind. Maybe she wanted to tell him something but didn't know how she should begin.

"There is something you want to tell me, right?" His voice was quiet and soothing.

She nodded her head but didn't say anything at first. She remained silent for a few moments, looking at Kelrian who smiled at her and gave her a sympathetic look. Staring into his eyes had a positive effect on her. It gave her courage, strength and calmed her down. She could get through everything and withstand any stress as long as he would be around her.

She loved him and he loved her. She knew that. She knew he had no feelings for Elena. She believed that it had been an accident and Kelrian hadn't wanted to kiss her or sleep with her. It had happened nevertheless but it won't happen again. He had promised it and she knew he always kept his promises. She trusted him.

Her hormones were driving her crazy. The longer she looked at him, the more she wanted him at this very moment but it was not the right time to do that. It was too soon. She may have forgiven him but she needed time. She knew that there was a chance that he wouldn't return from Lordaeron. It pained her to imagine him dying during the battle.

Normally, she would have slept with him before the battle because she couldn't know if she would ever see him again but because of everything that had happened, she had decided against it. She wouldn't sleep with him that day but she would pray to all gods she knew that Kelrian will return to her in one piece.

Sylvanas rubbed the back of his hand which still rested on her cheek, then she removed it and put it in her own hand, intertwining their fingers. She took a deep breath and exhaled a few seconds later. "I think the best is that I say it straight without explaining much. I'm...," she paused for a short moment but the curious look on his face and the comforting smile on his lips gave her the strength to continue speaking. "I'm pregnant."

Silence.

Kelrian's eyes widened but he didn't say anything.

Unpleasant silence.

His face reflected surprise as his brain assimilated what she had just said. He couldn't believe it at first. He thought she was joking but the determined look on Sylvanas' face told him that she was serious about this. She was pregnant. For real. And he was the father. He had to be **.** Unlike him, Sylvanas hadn't slept with another person. He hoped that. No, he believed that. He wondered why he felt so insecure at this very moment.

For some reason, he feared that the rumours that Sylvanas and Nathanos had something together might be true. What if Nathanos was the father? Had Sylvanas been loyal to him? Would she risk everything for an affair with that human? Would she do that to him? Would Nathanos do that to him? He found Sylvanas attractive but that didn't mean that he wanted something from her, right? He and Nathanos were good friends. Nathanos wouldn't risk ruining their friendship, would he? Kelrian felt so insecure at this very moment and he had no clue why.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, ordering his thoughts. His head was a mess because of the surprising news he had just received. He was overreacting and imagining scenarios which wouldn't be possible. He doubted everything he had never doubted before.

It took a few minutes but he managed to calm down and made his head clear. He opened his eyes again, looking at Sylvanas whose eyes reflected insecurity. But the insecurity vanished as she saw the happy smile on his lips. He came closer to her and hugged her carefully, "That's great, my love," he spoke.

He rubbed her back carefully and put his head on her shoulder. Sylvanas' face reflected relief. She put one hand on the back of his head and run her fingers through it. The other was still holding his.

Kelrian pulled back after a while, regarding her from head to toe. "I'm just wondering how it happened. I thought you always took the pill whenever we make love. Did you forgot to take it one day?" he asked curiously.

"Well for some reason, my pills were not in my bag one day so I went to Alleria and asked her for one. You need to know that the pills I buy are the best ones you can get. They work in every single case. The chance of preventing pregnancy is one hundred percent. I can only guess that Alleria's pills were not as good as mine. The chance to get pregnant while taking them is very low. But it's still there and I got pregnant despite the low chance," she explained.

Kelrian made a thoughtful face and remained silent for a few moments. "Don't you want to have a baby?" he asked curiously.

"To be honest, I've never thought about becoming a mother. I think that one day, I would have come to the conclusion to have one with you but decades would have passed until then. I'm not mad. I'm happy to give birth to a baby in about five months. I'm not angry that you made me pregnant. I just wish it wouldn't happen during times of war. I would rather join the battle and fight together with the Alliance than sitting in Silvermoon while the others are risking their lives. I want to fight and defeat the orcs but I can't do that anymore if I want to make sure our baby will survive."

"I'm sorry," Kelrian spoke quietly.

Sylvanas chuckled quietly. "You don't have to. It's not your fault that I couldn't resist you. I should have checked if my pills were still in my bag before I would have slept with you. But I couldn't resist you that day. I couldn't resist you because I knew how you look like without your clothes."

He smiled at her but didn't say anything in return. She had spoken the truth. He looked good and he knew it. She, on the other hand, looked more than just good. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Even the sun itself was envious of her beauty.

He knew that she knew she looked good so he wondered if she still shared this opinion since she became pregnant. It was not unlikely that she would regard herself as fat and even ugly with her belly which will become bigger and bigger in the following months. He knew the following months wouldn't be easy for her so he will give his best and support her as best as he can once he would return from Lordaeron. If he would return.

If that would be the case, he would reassure her and support her as best as he could. He hoped everything will turn out well. But life was cruel. Not everything always happened as people hoped for. It was possible that he wouldn't survive the upcoming battle. Wars were cruel. Life was cruel and unfair. He could only hope for the best, so could Sylvanas.

"That's the reason why you stay in Silvermoon, right? You don't have any serious health problems, do you?" Worry was reflected by Kelrian's face and voice.

Sylvanas shook her head slightly, giving him a comforting look. "No, I don't have a disease or something like that. There is no reason for you to be worried about me."

He put his hands on her cheeks, caressing them carefully while he smiled at her. She returned his smile and stared into his handsome blue glowing eyes. "Am I allowed to kiss you?" he asked after a while.

Soft laughter escaped her lips. "You haven't asked to kiss me for years. You always kissed me without asking, so why do you ask now?"

"Well, I'm afraid it would be too soon. We just made up, so I thought it wouldn't be right to do that."

"I don't see a reason why it wouldn't be right but I won't go further with you. Not now. You are allowed to kiss me but I won't sleep with you even though today is the last day we can spend together before you have to go back to Lordaeron."

Kelrian nodded to her. "I understand you. You need time and you will get all the time you need."

"I'm glad you understand," she said. She regarded him closely. He looked so good. Her body wanted him. Her body wanted to jump on him, remove his clothes and take him on the spot. But her mind told her to wait. But at the same time, her mind also told her to do it for the case he would never return. She was conflicted but she came to the conclusion it was the best for their relationship if she would wait. She didn't want to rush things.

It was pretty hard to resist her lower desires. The additional hormones which were released since she became pregnant didn't help at all. They only made things worse. She managed to control herself somehow.

"Can I ask you something?" Kelrian asked eventually.

"Sure, go ahead."

"You told me that Lirath's funeral will take place after we defeated the trolls. Is that still the case or do you want to wait until the end of the war?"

Sylvanas made a thoughtful face. "I don't know how much longer the war will last. We don't have the time right now for a traditional ceremony but I don't want to bury him quickly or burn his body without doing much. He deserves a proper funeral so do the other members of my family which died. Every soldier we lost during the war deserves a proper funeral so we wait until the war is over. Lirath's body is preserved by magic, so its condition won't change as long as we want. But I don't want him to rest in a chamber in Silvermoon City forever. We have to cremate or bury him one day. He deserves that, I'm just not sure if we should burn his body or bury it **.** I will wait for the outcome of the upcoming battle. Then I will see."

"You will make the right decision, I'm sure about that."

Sylvanas returned his smile. "I haven't told you about my decision about Zetai yet."

"You are right. You wanted to tell me but then we digressed from the topic. I'm curious."

The Ranger-General exhaled. "I decided to allow him to join the Farstriders. At least until the war is over. Then we will see. But he won't be allowed to join my group which is currently lead by Verena. I don't trust him anymore but Ranger-Captain Sweetblossom does. Salna was his girlfriend and Vara's sister. They mourned for her together so I assume she feels his pain and understands better why he did that. I can understand him a little but I don't appreciate what he did. As long as Vara wants him in her unit, he is allowed to be a member of her group.

I'd like to leave him in Silvermoon and let him think over his actions and his behaviour but we need every good soldier we can get. It's bad enough that I have to stay in Silvermoon. I just can't exclude one of our best rangers. We need him. Maybe he will make up for what he did. Who knows? I want to give him a chance to redeem himself, even though I'm not sure if he deserves a second chance. I mean everyone deserves a second chance but still...What he did..."

"Zetai is my best friend, I know him pretty well so I expected that he might do something morally wrong. I thought he would slaughter defenceless trolls but I have never expected that he would kill a pregnant prisoner. I'm disappointed in him but I think I'll give him a second chance. I assume he was not himself when he did that. I bet it was the loss of his girlfriend who drove him to do such a horrible thing. I will speak to him when I see him again. If he joins Vara's group, he will go with me to Lordaeron tomorrow, right?"

Sylvanas nodded her head. "I will speak to him first and then I see if he will go to Lordaeron. But I think he will go with Vara's group so you have the chance to speak to him."

"Good to know that. I will talk to him. Definitely."

"Do that, my dear."

"Can I kiss you now?" he asked with a seductive smile on his lips.

Sylvanas didn't respond verbally to him. Instead, she leaned in and brought their lips together. She didn't hesitate to put her hand on the back of his head. She ran her fingers through his hair and inserted her tongue once his lips parted. Her tongue brushed past his and explored every reachable corner of his mouth. He did the same and caressed her back softly.

Sylvanas pulled him closer, deepened the kiss and even moaned quietly into it. She held his right hand while they held the kiss, caressing its back with her thumb. Sylvanas had missed this. She had missed feeling his soft lips against hers. She had also missed holding his hand and feeling his tongue in her mouth. But what she missed most was being close to him. The last time they had been so close had been four months ago. She had only seen him two times since that day. Two times in four months.

Her nether regions became wetter the longer the kiss endured but Sylvanas managed to hold back and do not let her body act on its own. She knew they hadn't been intimate for four months but she would wait longer if it was necessary. On the other hand, she didn't know if she would ever see him again. She didn't want to imagine losing him but there was no way to avoid thinking about it. Such thoughts made her sad.

She didn't notice the tears which ran down her cheeks before Kelrian wiped them away after he had broken the kiss. The face he made showed worry about also sympathy. His mere presence was enough to comfort her and give her the strength to hold out until his return. He comforted her and told her to only think positively. He told her that everything would be alright and she believed him. She believed that he would return in one piece to her. She was sure the orcs will be defeated. She believed everything would turn out well.

Sylvanas stood up after a few minutes had passed and opened her coat, showing Kelrian her slightly swollen belly for the first time. He regarded it closely for a few moments, then he put his hand on it and caressed it slowly and carefully. She smiled at him while he did that and he looked up after a few minutes, returning her smile.

"I'm happy about the baby," he said.

Sylvanas' smile became wider. "So am I. But our lives won't be the same once the people find out that I'm pregnant. Times won't be easy for us. Raising a child won't be easy."

"We will get through it together, my love. I believe we will be good parents," he responded and leaned in for another kiss. She returned the kiss which was full of passion. They held the kiss for a few minutes until they parted because they had run out of air. The couple stared into each other's eyes, the corners of their lips formed happy smiles as they took long breaths. One of Sylvanas' hands rested on Kelrian's which still caressed her belly.

The silence was pleasant and enjoyable. They didn't have to say anything. They just wanted to enjoy the presence of the other.

"I have something for you," she said after a while.

Kelrian raised an eyebrow curiously. Sylvanas gave him the signal to wait so he did that. She walked over to her wardrobe, opened it and took her quiver out of it. She pulled out one arrow and put the quiver back in the wardrobe. She walked back to Kelrian and handed it over to him. He took it and regarded it carefully.

The arrow didn't look like a normal arrow. The tip was made out of the best steel forged in Ironforge. It was coloured in gold, blue symbols were carved in the shaft and the fletching was made out of golden and blue coloured feathers. The initials _S.W._ were carved in the tip and in the nock of the arrow.

It was a very special arrow. It was one of Sylvanas' arrows so it was already special enough for him. He couldn't know it was of more importance for Sylvanas than he assumed.

"This is my favourite arrow. My mother once gave me this quiver full of arrows when I became Ranger-General. All the other arrows in my quiver look similar to this but this one is the only one where my initials are carved in. It was the last remaining arrow of the original ones which my mother gifted me. I want you to have it and put it in your quiver when you fight for Lordaeron. Regard it as a lucky charm. Only use it when it is necessary. If you don't have to use it when you can either bring it back to me or keep it. It's up to you."

Kelrian was stunned. This arrow meant so much for Sylvanas and she gave it to him. It was her favourite arrow. He asked himself if he was worthy enough to possess this arrow. He asked himself if he would be worthy enough to use it but the smile on his lover's lips told him that he was worthy. She wouldn't have given him the arrow if she wouldn't regard him as worthy.

"Sylvanas...I...I don't know what to say," he stuttered.

"That's not everything I have for you," she replied and opened her highest drawer, taking a silver shining necklace out of it. It looked like an ordinary necklace except that there was a big purple gem attached to it. The gem was surrounded by small pearls which had a silver colour tone. The pearls didn't shine as brightly as the gem so it stood out.

The ranger regarded it for a few moments before he lifted his gaze and looked at his lover who still smiled at him. "I have to thank you, my love. I wish I had a gift for you but unfortunately, I don't have one."

He put the arrow on the desk so its tip pointed away from them. He took the necklace out of her hand and touched it carefully. It was not very heavy and shined in the lamplight. He bet it had been very expensive. It must have cost her a fortune to buy that.

"I don't think I can accept that. It's too expensive."

Sylvanas smiled at his response. "Of course, you can. Don't you dare to say only men are allowed to buy jewellery for their partners. That would be sexism and a cliché. I'm also allowed to give my boyfriend gifts whenever I want and I don't care how expensive they are. I have enough money to buy dozens of these necklaces. I just wanted to give you something you can wear during the war. Something which reminds you that I'm always with you. It's okay to accept it, my dear." She pressed a soft kiss on his cheeks, smiling widely at him.

Kelrian was silent for a few moments but then he nodded at her and gave her a response. "I will wear it around my neck if it makes you happy but only beneath my uniform. I don't want the others to start rumouring about where I got it. Thanks to my father, rumours about us are already in the air. It won't take long until our people count one and one together and come to the conclusion that we are a couple."

"I get your point, Kel, but they will find it out sooner or later so I see no point in hiding it."

"You are right, my love. You are always right."

She smirked. "I know."

"I just wish I had a gift for you," he said quietly.

She took his hand and put in on her belly. "You already gave me a gift."

"I'm looking forward to raising this tiny creature with you," he said. The happiness that was reflected in his face couldn't be overseen.

The same amount of happiness was reflected in Sylvanas' face.

"So am I."


	47. The Calm Before the Storm

Kelrian averted his gaze from the fire and looked at the bowl in his hands. He couldn't bear staring into the fire for too long because it reminded him of the nightmare, he had the previous night. He had hoped that the mixture Sen'za had recommended to him had helped him permanently but it had only worked temporarily. He had stopped consuming it a week ago and in the six nights that had followed, he had not had a single nightmare. But during the seventh night, a nightmare had plagued him.

Like the last times, he had dreamed of the same fire which would consume Azeroth and all the other worlds. A fire which couldn't be stopped. The nightmare had been horrible. He could still remember how the fire had consumed the bodies of his loved ones. It had been horrible to watch. Fortunately, it had not been real, it had just been a nightmare. A very horrible nightmare.

He knew he had to consume the mixture to prevent these nightmares from continuing to bother him. He didn't want to consume it but he had no other choice. He should have told Sylvanas about his nightmares and this strange medicine. But he hadn't wanted to worry her so he hadn't told her anything when they had met two days ago. He should have done it but now it was too late. He had to wait until he would meet her again if he would ever see her again.

He closed his eyes and ignored the increasing headache as best as he could. The nightmares didn't return alone. They brought along annoying headaches, which appeared from time to time and didn't leave him so quickly. His skin was itching from time to time and sometimes he felt cold. He was feeling cold at this very moment but it was the cold night which was responsible for that this time. He was used to the mild climate in Quel'Thalas. The nights were quite warm in Quel'Thalas while the nights in Lordaeron were much colder.

He was shivering, his nose was running and his throat felt dry. He was even coughing from time to time. He had caught a cold. He wore warm clothes but he had still gotten sick. It was nothing bad nor did it hinder him. It was just annoying. He hoped it would go away before the orcs would attack Lordaeron. He didn't want to fight while feeling sick.

It may not restrict him during the battle but he still wanted it to be gone. He just hoped he wouldn't feel weak when the orcs would attack. He wanted to be in top form when the attack would happen. But he will give his best no matter how he would feel. He will fight for the Alliance no matter what will happen.

Kelrian took another sip from the warm soup, then he looked up from his bowl and turned his head to the person next to him. Ranger-Captain Sweetblossom sat next to him and slurped her soup. It still surprised him that she had decided to come with them to this outpost.

They were in the most eastern outpost in Tirisfal Glades near the end of the mountain pass the orcs must cross if they wanted to reach the capital city of Lordaeron one day. The outpost's purpose was not to stop the orcs. It was not very large and not enough men could be stationed there to do that.

It was a small base surrounded by a wall made out of thick tree trunks which tips were sharpened. There was a lookout tower in the middle of the outpost. The task of the soldiers stationed there was to check the surroundings and keep an eye out for a signal from the next outpost in the east.

Such a signal would mean that one of the outposts had spotted the enemy. Then the soldiers had to make similar smoke signals to the ones they saw. That way, the capital city will be warned soon enough so the soldiers could prepare everything. If the orcs would pass this outpost, they would reach the capital city of Lordaeron within three or four days but the soldiers of the Alliance will be prepared then. Prepared to fight for their homeland.

Normally, only a Ranger-Lieutenant was required to man the outpost with their group. There was no reason for Vara to be there but she had decided to go to this outpost anyway. Kelrian hadn't dared to ask her for the reason nor had anyone else from her unit. Not even rangers of the same rank as Alleria. She had just accepted her decision and sent Ranger-Lieutenant Velon, who would have been originally stationed there, to Brill, which was located in the north of the capital city. It was not unlikely that the orcs would attack the villages in the north first before they would attack the capital city.

Many groups of soldiers were patrolling or manned lookouts. The citizens who lived in the north would be evacuated as soon as the Alliance would find out that the orcs were planning to attack these villages. Security measures were taken in advance. The soldiers knew what to do in every possible situation.

Kelrian recognized that Vara looked back at him once she had noticed his staring. She gave him a small smile and emptied her bowl, putting it on the ground. Like him and three other soldiers, she sat around the campfire in the middle of the base and warmed herself up. She didn't mind staring into the flames. She liked the orange and red colour of the flames.

Unlike Kelrian, she didn't get flashbacks whenever she stared into the fire for longer than a few minutes. She had also witnessed the crushing defeat during the first siege of Zul'Aman. She had seen her comrades burn and turn to ashes in front of her eyes but that hadn't traumatized her. Unlike Kelrian, she wasn't plagued by horrible nightmares. She was lucky, unlike many others who couldn't just forget what had happened.

But Kelrian was not envious. He was not envious that she could sleep without waking up in the middle of the night. He had accepted how things were so he wasn't envious on everyone who didn't have to deal with the problems he had. He just hoped he would find a better solution for his nightmares. The mixture was not ideal, especially because he always had to consume it, otherwise, the nightmares would return.

Kelrian noticed the sadness in Vara's eyes as she continued to stare into the flames. He moved closer to her and offered her half a loaf of bread. She thanked him as she took it.

"You have something in your mind, haven't you, Ranger-Captain? You try to cope with the death of a certain person, right?" Kelrian asked. She turned her head and looked at him. A frown was visible on her forehead and her left eyebrow was raised. "How do you know?" she asked after a few moments.

"I see it in your eyes and the way you are staring into the flames. I can also see it in your posture. It also seems you are often lost in thoughts. You think about Salna, aren't you?"

Vara noticed the comforting look on his face and the soothing tone in his voice. She assumed he just wanted to help her get over what happened in the past months. She was sure he wanted to comfort her as best as he could but she doubted it would help.

She felt so empty since Salna's death. A part of her died that day when she had seen the corpse of her sister. She felt broken, shattered but mostly empty. Since the death of her parents decades ago, Salna had been the last member of her family. Now she was lonely. She had no one. Most of her friends died during the war and those who survived were either haunted by nightmares or horribly crippled so she couldn't do much with them.

The purpose of her life had always been to protect her people and her sister. She had known that her sister could take care of herself, nevertheless, she had sworn to protect her. She had failed. She hadn't been there when the village in which Salna had been stationed had been attacked by the trolls. She hadn't been there to protect her. Her sister had been a powerful mage but even she hadn't been able to repel the superior number of trolls who had attacked her. She had been killed by these bastards but at least they didn't defile her. They didn't rape her or torture her. Zetai had told her that her death had been clean and quick.

A spear right through her heart.

Anger but also grief overcame her when she thought about her. Her sister had been pregnant. It had not been visible because she had just been in the second month, but she had been pregnant. The only chance to expand their family had died with Salna. The doctors had told her hundreds of years ago that she couldn't reproduce. Her family would die out when her last day would come.

She could only hope she would live long enough until the doctors would find a way to cure the diseases that prevented that she could have children. There was still hope but she didn't believe in it. She had already accepted that she was the last member of her family.

Kelrian didn't comment the tears which ran down her cheeks. Vara didn't wipe them away. Others would do so others wouldn't see it. They would do because they don't want to show weakness. But Vara didn't care that others would see her tears. Showing emotions was not a weakness for her. She was not weak. She was a strong woman with a strong will. The trolls were defeated so the only way to overcome her grief was to kill as many orcs as possible. She was looking forward to slaying as many of these green invaders as she could. She will make sure that the orcs would wish they never went to Azeroth.

"I miss her so much," Vara admitted with a weak voice. Kelrian put a hand on her back and stroked it carefully.

"I can understand you. I'm so sorry about what happened to her. I didn't know her at all but she didn't deserve that."

"No, she didn't. She was such an innocent woman. She could never harm a fly or any creature as long as it wouldn't attack or threaten her. She only used magic to defend herself or others. She was a good girl...," her voice became weaker and weaker untilit trailed off. More tears ran down her cheeks. Kelrian looked at the others around the fire, noticing that they also felt bad for her. He looked back at his superior, noticing that she was staring at her feet.

"Zetai avenged her," said Kelrian. "It was morally reprehensible to kill the troll queen but he avenged her and made Zul'jin pay for his crimes... It's just... Taking an eye for an eye is usually not the optimal solution. I do not feel bad about the troll queen. She deserved it but the unborn child in her belly didn't."

"Salna's unborn baby didn't deserve it either," responded the Ranger-Captain.

"You are right about that," Kelrian replied quietly. He didn't say much more because he didn't know what else he should say. He didn't know what else he should say to comfort her and make her feel better. Normally, he was pretty good at comforting others but at this very moment, not the right words came up in his mind that might have comforted her. He remained silent and regarded her with a worried look on his face.

Vara wiped her tears away eventually, stood up and walked away from the campfire. Kelrian wanted to stand up as well and follow her but he saw no point in it. He had no idea what else he should say to her. He decided to go to her once he had found the right words.

He turned his head as he heard heavy footsteps. Mixed expressions appeared on the faces of the other soldiers as Zetai came to the fire and sat down next to his best friend. Kelrian could see dislike but also sympathy in the eyes of the three other soldiers. Kelrian assumed by the way they looked at him, that two of them didn't mind that he killed the troll queen. But the third soldier didn't like him Probably because he had killed a pregnant woman who had been a prisoner of war. In the ranger's opinion, Zetai had contravened the honour codex of the Farstriders.

If only he would know that Zetai didn't care about honour. He just wanted vengeance. He wanted to kill as many orcs and trolls as he could to avenge his girlfriend, his family and his village. He could no longer control his hatred for his enemies and his thirst for vengeance. He wanted to make his enemies pay for everything they did to him, his family and his people. And he wouldn't let himself stopped by anything. He wouldn't stop until all orcs and trolls were either captured or killed.

Zetai regarded his best friend for a few moments before he looked at his bowl. He was silent as he ate so was Kelrian as he watched him. He wanted to talk to him but he didn't know how to start the conversation. He was not sure which topics he should talk about. He was not sure if he should approach him about the death of the troll queen. He was not sure if he should ask him if he found it morally wrong to kill a prisoner and if he didn't care that he had killed a pregnant woman.

He was wondering how Zetai would react. Would he respond to him or ignore him if he would ask him any of these questions? Kelrian decided to say nothing for the moment. He just looked at the other ranger, trying to ignore his hurting head as best as he could.

Zetai stood up once he had emptied his bowl and walked to the small house which served as the outpost's kitchen. He returned a few moments later with a full bowl of soup. He was about to sit down when a man deliberately bumped into him. The soup was spilt over the ground and Zetai's uniform.

A furious expression could be seen on Zetai's as he turned around slowly. It was unmistakable that he was not amused that his food had been spilt. "What is your fucking problem?" hissed Zetai as he looked at the man who had spilt his soup.

It was a muscular human who was almost as tall as Zetai. He was six feet and five inches tall while Zetai was six feet and seven inches tall. The two individuals, which were a lot larger than the average male of their races, stood not far away from another and looked at each other dangerously.

The human had a bald head, a brown moustache and several scars on his face. According to his armour, he was a soldier from Stromgarde. His tabard was red and showed the heraldic animal of Stromgarde. A white hawk that spread its wings. Kelrian was not standing far away from him so he noticed the clear smell of alcohol in his breath. The man was looking for trouble, Kelrian was sure about that.

Zetai realized that the man's intention was to provoke him. It would be best if he would just ignore the man but he didn't want to do that. He would only make things worse if he would do or say something in return but he didn't care. Zetai wouldn't say no to an opportunity to let off steam.

The man didn't say anything. He just stared into the elf's eyes, spitting right in front of his feet. Zetai tilted his head a little and regarded the man with narrowed eyes. "What is your fucking problem, human? Do you want to explain to me why you did that or shall I break your nose right first?"

"Try it, murderer," hissed the man. The dislike for Zetai was clearly reflected by his very deep voice and could also be seen in his brown eyes. It was clear that he was not very fond of Zetai. Kelrian wanted to go between them and stop them before the situation would escalate. He made the first step but wasn't able to come closer because two soldiers, who wore similar armour with the same tabard as the bald man, stepped in front of him.

They didn't allow him to pacify the quickly escalating looked at the soldiers who were still sitting around the campfire. They didn't move nor did they intend to step between the two alpha males. Nobody else intended to step between them and try to settle the tense situation because they were too afraid of these two men.

Zetai didn't do anything. He just stared at the bald man and watched his every move. "What is your problem?" he asked once again, his voice sounded more than just unfriendly.

"My problem is that I have to fight against murderers and rapists soon enough while I'm in the same unit as a man who is not better than our enemies," said the man.

"Say that again," hissed Zetai. He clenched his left fist and made a step closer to the man who didn't shrink back. The voice of the elf was dangerously low and his eyes were narrowed to thin slits.

"You are a fucking murdering piece of shit. They should hang monsters like you who kill pregnant women for no reason," responded the man and came closer.

"I had more than enough reasons to kill her. Zul'jin and his wife ordered the attack on my village. Everyone except for my sister died that day. They committed numerous crimes against my people. I had enough reason to kill Zul'jin's whore of a wife and his bastard in her belly," shouted Zetai.

The bald man shook his head. "I've heard of you and your talent. You are Zetai Lightspark, the most promising ranger who killed the most trolls within the past months. You may be strong and you seem to be unbeatable but you are nothing more than a war beast. Fighting is all you can do. You are only good for killing our enemies and for nothing else. You are nothing more than a monster which is good at slaughtering our enemies." The human's tone was very provocative and his plan to provoke Zetai had worked.

Kelrian noticed that the anger started to overwhelm his best friend. He tried to calm him down by saying the right words to him but he wasn't successful. None of his words reached the ranger who had grabbed the other man by the collar of his uniform and pulled him closer. The man still grinned at him as if he was expecting that Zetai would hit him. He was looking forward to a good fistfight because staying in this outpost and doing nothing but looking out for a signal bored him.

Vara was not there to stop the squabblers and no one else dared to do it. Kelrian was the only one who wanted to try to stop them but the soldiers in front of him didn't allow him to pass. They moved whenever he tried to walk around them and prevented that he could step between his friend and the bald man.

Zetai didn't say anything in response. His punch came faster than anyone had expected. It surprised even the bald man who had expected that he could block the punch. Zetai's fist smashed his nasal bone, causing the man to cry out in pain as his head was pushed back. He staggered and fell to the ground as Zetai's left foot hit him in the stomach.

Blood flowed out of the broken nose of the man who laid on the ground and writhed in pain. He covered his nose with his hands and tried to get up. Zetai was about to kick him again and prevent that he could get up but the loud roar of a horn brought him out of his state of uncontrollable rage.

He stopped and looked at the tower from which top the horn had been blown, then he turned his head to look at the horizon in the east. Smoke signals were clearly visible which meant that the orcs had been seen by one of the outposts. He regarded the horizon for a few moments, then he looked up at the wounded human soldier who had gotten up in the meantime. He gave the bald head a triumphant grin then he walked towards Vara who had left her tent a few seconds ago.

She came to them, regarded the two males but didn't comment on the bleeding nose. "The orcs had been seen from the outermost outpost. We have to give the next outpost a signal. Zetai will make the smoke signals while Kelrian will bring Bjorn to the healer. She should take care of his nose before we will split up. Half of us will climb on top of the mountain range and wait until the orcs passed this outpost, then they will follow them in stealth. A mage will join them and make a portal to the capital city of Lordaeron for the case that the orcs are changing their course and do not attack the capital city first. The King needs to be informed quickly if that would be the case. The other half will return to the capital city right now and tell the king that the orcs are coming closer."

Nobody had any objects so the thirtysoldiers, who were stationed there dismantled the tents and packed up all supplies and other necessary items. They made themselves ready for departure. Kelrian brought the bald man to the healer who was no other than his older sister Sydori. Unlike the last time he had seen her, she didn't seem to be disgusted by his presence. She didn't look at him as if he was an unworthy creature. She didn't say anything to him, she didn't even insult him. She just gave him a quick nod before she walked to the man and took care of his broken nose.

She didn't say anything to her little brother once she was done nor did he say anything to her. They stared at each other for a few moments before Kelrian left the room with the man. He noticed that smoke signals could be seen in the air as he left the small wooden house. He walked back to the middle of the base where a portal had already been created.

Vara stood next to it and divided the soldiers into two groups. She winked Kelrian and the man over to her. She told Kelrian to join the group which will stay on the mountain chain and wait until the orcs would walk through the pass. He nodded to her and walked to the group she had pointed at.

He found out quickly that his sister was also a member of his group. He didn't say anything nor did she or the others. They just listened to the Ranger-Captain who held a short speech and ordered the other group to walk through the portal. The portal was closed a few moments after the last soldier had walked through it.

Vara walked to the remaining group, pointing at the path which led to the mountain chain's top. "We climb the mountain chain and pitch a provisional camp there which can be dismantled quickly. Fabienne, you will make sure that the orcs won't see us and the camp. We can't allow that they see us while we observe them from above. You also have to make sure that the spell lasts for a few days so we can follow the orcs without getting seen. The only ones who should be able to see us are ourselves. You can do that, right?"

The brunette human gave her a nod. "I will need some time to cast the spell but it should work as you have described. They won't be able to see us as long as no one attacks the orcs."

"Zetai went to Lordaeron so I don't expect that anyone would attack the orcs. I want you to swear to me that you won't try to kill anyone." Vara had looked at the members of the group one by one as she had said the last sentence.

"What about the Warchief?" asked the bald man.

"I'm sure his shamans and mages will protect him from our arrows and magical missiles. Don't risk anything, otherwise, you will get us killed. I wouldn't mind giving my life for killing the Warchief but he will be protected by strong magical barriers. I'm pretty sure his men took precautions, so do us all a favour and don't even try it. I wish to stay alive, just you know. We can only fire at him when we are sure that nothing protects him. We won't try it if something protects him. Is that clear?"

Everyone nodded their heads.

"Good, now that we cleared that up, we can climb on the mountain chain. Is everyone ready?"

Once again everyone nodded.

"Let's go then."

* * *

The earth quaked beneath their feet. Beneath the feet of tens of thousands of orcs. Nearly fifty thousand orcs in the feet of the orcs were not the only pairs of feet which were hearable. Kodo beasts, war wolves and other terrifying beasts, which served the Horde, also marched over the dry ground. The army marched through the pass, which was not too wide so that they only advanced slowly. Too slowly for the Warchief's liking.

Doomhammer was frustrated that his army was taking so long but there was no other way to reach the capital city of Lordaeron. He had no other choice than guiding his army through the mountain pass. Fortunately, it was wide enough that the battering ram could fit through it. He wouldn't have the time to build one once his army would reach the capital city of Lordaeron. He didn't want to give the Alliance too much time to prepare themselves for the upcoming battle so he let his army move as fast as possible.

The war drums were loudly hearable as his army continued to move. They annoyed him but motivated his people so he allowed them to be played by the kodo riders. He knew they would march for at least two days so his people had to remain motivated. He didn't want them to lose motivation during the rest of the long journey they had started almost a week ago. They had made pauses every day and he had even allowed his warriors to get a few hours of sleep every day but other than that, they had been marching all the time. Some of them looked tired or exhausted. He knew he had to allow them to rest for at least half a day before he would attack the capital city.

He couldn't allow that he would lose the battle because his warriors would be too exhausted and too tired to fight. He expected the battle would endure for at least a few days so his warriors had to be in top form. Otherwise, the siege wouldn't last long. The battle would be lost quickly if he would send his half-tired warriors into battle. But not only the battle. The whole war too. The Alliance would overrun his army if he would lose too many soldiers.

The outcome of the upcoming battle was decisive for the outcome of the war. He knew that but he was not nervous because of that. He believed in his warriors and in himself. He believed in his strategic plans. The humans had failed to stop the Horde once and they would fail again. He was sure of that. He had managed to leave Stormwind in ruins so he saw no reason why Lordaeron would be an exception. They might have the support of the other kingdoms of the Alliance but Doomhammer still had more men than them. He had the larger army and much stronger warriors. Orcs were physically much stronger than humans, high elves and dwarves. Their brute force would be enough to defeat the enemy. He was sure about that.

He lifted his head and looked at the sky, noticing that the sun was setting slowly. He hoped his army would manage to cross the mountain pass before nightfall. His gaze wandered over the top of the mountain chains. He had expected that the Alliance would station archers there which would attack them but they didn't. Better for them. All of their archers would have died in the end.

Doomhammer had enough archers and spellcasters who would have taken care of any group of archers no matter who large it would have been. Mages and gunners would have been a much larger threat to his army but they would have been killed too. He would have also lost warriors but that would have been fine because his army would still have been larger than the armies of his enemies.

He shifted his gaze again, regarding the blue magical dome around him. The barrier made sure no enemy could attack him from afar. His death would mean the end of the orcish war campaign. Without him as their leader, his army would split into the several clans out of which it existed. He knew the leaders of the clans pretty well so he knew they would have discussed for days about what to do, but wouldn't have come to a conclusion how to proceed.

The Alliance would have an easy job with the split clans. They would take them out one after one until no clan would be left. That would mean the end of the Horde. He couldn't allow that. They were conquerors and no weaklings who wouldn't manage to deal with humans, elves and dwarves.

He had to stay alive so he had ordered his best mages to create a barrier around him which would protect him from any arrows, bullets and spells. They refreshed the barrier whenever it became weaker. That way, no one could kill the mighty Warchief from afar.

The soldiers of the Alliance had to face him in close combat if they wanted to try to kill him. And they would need at least a dozen of their best warriors if they wanted to kill him alone. But he was not alone. He had his army and his elite guards which always stood close to him and help him if he would need them. He knew he was a strong and fearsome warrior and he knew he could take care of himself. But he couldn't predict what could happen so he was glad he had his elite around him. He trusted them and they wouldn't hesitate to give their lives to protect him.

The imminent battle will be bloody and thousands of soldiers on both sides would die, but the Horde will win in the end. He was convinced of that.


	48. The Defence of Lordaeron

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back. I was busy working on two One Shots so I didn't upload over two weeks. But here I am. Back with another chapter.
> 
> One of the One Shots I wrote is about Kelrian and Sylvanas on Valentine's Day. It was meant as a project for Valentine's Day but it became much longer than I have expected. It's three times as long as a normal chapter. It contains lots of fluff but also explicit sexual content. It takes place after Chapter 16 and before the begin of the Second War.
> 
> It's called "Day of Love" and you can also find it on this page. Check it out if you want. It cost me a lot of effort and time to create it so I would be happy when some of you would read it.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy this chapter. From now on I upload regularly. At least one chapter per week.

Kelrian said nothing as he plumped himself on the wooden bench. Zetai sat next to him and was chewing on a slice of bread. Together with two other rangers and three soldiers from Lordaeron they had watched over a section of the west wall. They had walked from one tower to the next tower and then back to the first one. They had done that over and over again within the past six hours. There were other groups who were patrolling the other sections of the wall. A total of fifty groups of six to ten soldiers.

Kelrian's group was halfway through their shift. Twelve hours of patrolling. Their shift had started at twelve o'clock midday and would end one hour after midnight. At the moment they had a break for an hour. They could eat and drink something, take a nap or do something else. They just couldn't leave the small barrack near the wall in case that the orc army would approach the city.

Most soldiers slept the rest of the day in these barracks to be fit when the siege would begin. No soldiers wanted to be tired when the battle would those who were patrolling when the orc army would approach would lack sleep but the thrill of battle and the adrenaline would keep them awake **.** Not to mention that priests and mages knew a spell or two to keep their comrades awake.

Kelrian had to admit to himself that he was a bit afraid. Afraid and worried. He was worried that the orcs would manage to win the battle. He had seen their gigantic army when they had walked through the mountain pass two days ago. They had far more warriors than Lordaeron even with their reinforcements. The orcs outnumbered them but the defenders could hide behind thick walls and shoot everything they got at the Horde while they would try to break through the gate with their battering ram.

Kelrian knew that the army of the high elves and another army which was led by the legendary warrior Anduin Lothar were on the way. He hoped they would arrive soon. The orcs wouldn't know what would happen to them if these two armies would flank them.

Nevertheless, Kelrian was worried. He was not worried about himself. He was worried about his loved ones. Sylvanas was safe in Silvermoon so was his mother and his younger siblings. Only his older siblings and his friends would participate in the upcoming battle. His siblings might not like him but he didn't want to lose them, no matter how they behaved towards him.

His sister hadn't insulted him the last time he had seen her. Even the way she had looked at him had been different. She didn't seem to hate him anymore which was a good sign. But she hadn't said anything to him nor had he said anything to her. They had refused to talk to each other and had avoided eye contact.

He was wondering if Seitor would behave like Sydori if he would meet him one day. Maybe he didn't hate him anymore and tolerated him instead. Just like Sydori. It could also be possible that he still hated him. Kelrian couldn't know how his brother thought about him. He would only find out when he would meet him one day.

Kelrian closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth in the room. It was just six o'clock in the evening but it was already cold outside. He still hadn't gotten used to the mild climate in Lordaeron. He had never left Quel'Thalas before in his life, so his body had had no chance to get used to a different climate. His body was used to constant temperatures of plus twenty degrees and not to fluctuating temperatures. From minus three degrees to plus fifteen degrees was everything possible. At this very moment, minus two degrees were outside.

He had felt them. Despite his thick leather gloves, his hands had become cold. He had moved his fingers constantly to keep them warm as best as possible. He hated having cold fingers but cold toes were much worse. He couldn't move them as smoothly in his shoes as his fingers in his gloves so they had been cold most of the time. He had rubbed his hands together very often but he hadn't been able to do that with his feet.

At least he sat in the warm room now and could warm up. He could slurp hot soup and talk to the other soldiers. Zetai had never been a talkative person and that hadn't changed when his girlfriend had been killed. He was more the type of man who listened to what others had to say and comment that.

Kelrian could start a conversation if he wanted but there was nothing he had to say at this very moment. He hadn't spoken to Zetai about the troll queen yet nor had he talked to him about Salna's death. He could see the grief in Zetai's eyes whenever he tried to come to that subject but he always pulled back and stopped speaking whenever Zetai's facial expression reflected pain. Emotional pain.

Kelrian had decided to wait until Zetai would come to him and speak to him about his problems. He would listen to him and help him as best as he could if that day would come. If that day would ever come. They were still best friends even though Zetai had killed the troll queen. Kelrian wouldn't let Zetai down and end their friendship like the majority of Zetai's friends did. They refused to talk to him after they had heard about what he had done.

In Kelrian's opinion, Zetai had done a terrible mistake when he had killed the troll queen. A mistake that would have long-term consequences. For him, So'mi had deserved to die for all the crimes she and Zul'jin committed in the past. She had also ordered his execution so he didn't mind that she was dead. He just felt sad for the unborn child which had died with her.

Now that he would become a father in five months, the unborn child's death affected him more. He imagined from time to time what would happen if Sylvanas would lose their child. These thoughts were unbearable so he tried to distract himself whenever they came up in his mind. In the end, he stopped thinking about that scenario but he knew he couldn't banish these thoughts forever. They would return sooner or later. So will the fear about the well-being of Sylvanas and their child.

He had to talk to Zetai about his actions one day but he would wait until his friend would make the first step and come to him to talk about everything. It wouldn't work the other way around. Kelrian would listen to his friend and help him as best as he could. Maybe Zetai would even have a bad conscience one day and try to make up for what he had done. That was all Kelrian was hoping for.

"You saw the Warchief, didn't you?" Zetai asked after a while.

"I did. He led his warriors through the pass but he was protected by a magical barrier. There was no way we could have killed him from above, so we decided to follow the orcs until they stopped and built a camp near Stillwater Pond. Then our mage created a portal and we returned to Lordaeron and told the king what we saw," Kelrian told.

"So, they are not far away from us," concluded the red-haired man.

"A march of half a day at maximum."

"They will come for us soon."

Kelrian nodded.

"Are you afraid?"

Kelrian was silent, considering what he should answer. He was not afraid of losing his life for the greater good. He would defend this city with his life. As long as Sylvanas was safe he had no reason to be worried. He hoped he would survive the upcoming battle. He didn't want his child to grow up with only one parent. He would take care of himself but he would fight as long as he could stand.

He wouldn't hide behind the others and run away as soon as the orcs would approach them for the case they would break through the main gate. He would fight them until the very end. Even if it would cost his life. He was not a coward. He was a proud ranger and he will make sure his arrows will kill as many orcs as possible.

"A little, I guess."

Zetai nodded at him but didn't say anything in return.

"What about you? Are you scared?"

"Do I look like I'm scared? Was there anything that ever scared me?"

Kelrian turned his head to look at his friend. "No."

"See."

Kelrian nodded but didn't respond.

"I have nothing to lose. My sister is safe in Silvermoon. Since... Since Salna's death... Since her death, my sister is the only person I have left. I care about her. Well, I also care about my friends. Elena, Elonis, Vara and you. But my sister is the most important person in my life. As long as she is safe, I have no reason to be afraid. I just hope you will make it. You and the others are the only friends I have left so I hope fate will protect you and let you survive the war."

Kelrian nodded silently. He had noticed the small amount of sadness in his friend's eyes when he had said the name of his deceased girlfriend. That was proof enough that he was not an emotionless man. He had emotions like every other creature but he didn't like to show them. He hid them. It worked most of time but there were also moments where he couldn't suppress his emotions. Moments like this one. He always appeared strong and unshakable but the truth was that he was not. He was emotionally hurt but he wasn't showing it.

The death of his lover and their unborn child had affected him. Kelrian had the impression that Zetai wanted to talk to someone about everything and show how he felt. Kelrian would love to talk to his best friend and comfort him but too many people were in the same room so he wouldn't be able to do that at the moment. He would have to wait until he and Zetai would be alone. Maybe he would get the opportunity after the end of their shift, right before they would go to bed.

Zetai said something but it was drowned out by loud war horns. The war horns of the Alliance. Their sound can only mean one thing. The soldiers on top of the walls had spotted the orc army in the distance. The Horde was here.

The soldiers in the room got up quickly and left the room after they had grabbed their weapons. Kelrian and Zetai followed the others out of the barrack. They walked over to the staircase that led to the top of the wall. They stood on the west wall so they couldn't see anything from there. They had to go to the front wall to see anything. But they remained there because they had been ordered to stay there until they would receive a new order.

They stayed there for two hours in which nothing happened. They were just told that the orcs could be seen from the front wall and were coming closer. Another hour had passed as a human general from Lordaeron came to them. It was a female with short blonde hair who was one head smaller than Kelrian. She wore iron armour which was adorned in gold and blue and carried a sword and a massive shield in her hands.

"The orcs are about to attack the gate with a battering ram but they also have lots of ladders. It's not unlikely that they try to climb the west wall. You need to stay here and shot everything you got at the ladder carriers once they come in your range. Try to push their ladders away when they lean them against the wall. You can also use fire if they are made out of wood. You have to prevent that they reach the top of the walls. We will have a huge problem if they manage to do that."

Kelrian, his group and all the other soldiers who had gathered on this section of the wall nodded their heads. The general wished them luck, then she took the staircase and rushed away quickly. Kelrian regarded her for a few moments before he turned around and looked to the north. He couldn't see anything from this position. He couldn't see the orc army so he couldn't know how far away they were from the front gate.

He knew they had tens of thousands of warriors and a huge battering ram. He wondered how long the gate would withstand. He assumed that soldiers of the Alliance will swarm out of the city and fight the orcs who were pushing the battering ram once it will come too close to the gate.

They will try to buy enough time for the mages and rangers on top of the wall so they could try to destroy the massive battering ram. He knew that the defenders will tip hot boiling oil on the orcs and their ram. King Terenas had come up with that idea when he talked to Alleria, Vara, Kelrian and his advisors about the defence strategy. Kelrian also knew that the oil stock was limited. They didn't have as much oil drums as King Terenas had hoped for, so they had to use it wisely.

Kelrian noticed that his heart was beating faster in his chest than it normally did even though he couldn't see the enemy yet. He could only imagine that it would beat violently in his chest once he would see the orcs. If they would try to climb the west wall.

He was worried but also a little excited at the same time. He was looking forward to killing many of these green monsters. He had twenty-four arrows in his quiver, one of them was the one Sylvanas gave him. Her favourite arrow where her initials were engraved. There were enough mages on the walls and enough large pots which were filled with hundreds of arrows.

It was very unlikely that he would ever run out of arrows. He wouldn't need to use Sylvanas' arrow as long as he would stay on the wall. To him, it was a lucky charm like the necklace around his neck. He touched the piece of jewellery at this very moment and stroked over the smooth material with his fingertips. He closed his eyes and thought about Sylvanas. He thought about the first time they had met, the best moments they had shared before they came together and then he remembered the best moments they had shared after they came together.

He opened his eyes after a while, noticing that he felt a lot calmer. His heart was no longer beating rapidly in his chest and his skin wasn't tingling anymore. He was ready for battle so was everyone around him. But nothing happened at the west wall within the first few hours. He had no clue what was going near the gate on the north of the city. The orcs could have already started their attack or they were still running towards the city.

He couldn't know what was going on, he just hoped lots of orcs would die before they would reach the gate. He hoped the soldiers on the walls would prevent that the battering ram would destroy the gate. The defenders would have a huge problem if the orcs would manage to do that.

Three more hours went by in which nothing happened, but then shapes on the horizon could be seen. These shapes could only be warriors of the Horde. Many of them carried ladders which were either made out of wood or iron. Kelrian pulled his bow from his shoulder and nocked an arrow. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw that the other archers did the same. The mages began to prepare spells with a very long cast time. They knew the orcs would need quite some time to come in their range so they had enough time to prepare their most powerful spells.

Half an hour passed. The orcs were almost in the range of the archers but barriers were wrapped around the groups of ladder carriers. The ballistae and catapults on top of the turrets were already firing at the attackers. A massive stone hit a group of twelve orcs, killing all of them. A ballistae bolt came in contact with one of the barriers which protected the many groups of ladder carriers. The barrier blocked the bolt but it dissolved in return. The unprotected group was hit by another stone before the orc mages were able to create another barrier. All of these ladder carriers were dead but there still were enough other groups with ladders out there.

Kelrian waited for Vara's command. Several hundreds of arrows flew through the air once the captain had given her archers permission to fire. Not every arrow hit its target. But nearly a hundred did, the rest either missed or were blocked by shields or dozen orcs died and more followed them after the second volley of arrows was fired. The attackers who carried shields held them in front of them or above their heads. There were many shields which were spiked with several arrows but were still not destroyed. The orc archers fired at the archers on top of the wall as soon as they were in range. Barriers protected them at the beginning but the orc shamans and mages managed to destroy them quickly.

The archers of the Alliance hid behind the battlements whenever they weren't firing arrows. But the battlements couldn't protect them forever. They had to leave their cover whenever they fired their arrows at the Horde. Not everyone managed to avoid the Horde's arrows and spells.

More arrows flew through the air, hit orcs, high elves, dwarves and humans. Mages cast spells. Fire rained down onto the green creatures, the feet of hundreds were frozen to the ground. Sharpe ice shards rained down on them, even larger ice blocks were thrown at them. Most of them killed at least five orcs at the same time.

But the spellcasters on the side of the Horde were not idle in the meantime. The fingers of dozens of shamans crackled whenever they formed lightings between their hands. Lighting strikes were fired at the defenders on top of the walls. Many died, one of the ballistae was destroyed.

Fireballs were thrown, earth elementals were summoned which tore pieces of hardened earth out of the ground and threw them at their enemies. Even the wind was manipulated so that half of the arrows from the side of the Alliance were diverted. Their flight paths were altered so they often missed their targets. Nevertheless, many orcs died before they even came close to the wall.

Kelrian fired arrow after arrow, hiding behind the battlements whenever he pulled out another arrow and nocked it. Then he came out, aimed for a short moment and fired, hiding behind the battlements once again. He did that for a while, killing more than two dozen orcs within the first hour. He refilled his quiver whenever it was almost empty.

The first group of ladder carriers was not far away from the wall. The barrier around them had been destroyed so dozens of orcs had moved in front of them and ran with them and covered them with their shields and their massive bodies. Several carriers still died but most of them had survived so far.

They ladder carriers came closer. They weren't in the range of the catapults and ballistae anymore so only the archer and spellcasters could kill and stop them. The defenders killed as many as they could but they weren't able to kill all of them. They couldn't prevent that the first ladder was leaned against the wall. Orcs started to climb on it but the defenders managed to push the ladder away, causing that it and the orcs landed on the ground. The noises of breaking bones and angry shouts were quietly hearable.

More ladders were leaned against the wall and the defenders gave their best to knock them off. Lots of ladders were pushed away but there were too many which leaned against the wall. There were also iron ladders which were harder to remove because of the hooks on their ends. More soldiers were needed to push them back. Sometimes even more than three soldiers were unable to push a ladder off because the orc mages had cast certain spells on it to make it a lot heavier so the soldiers couldn't remove it without the help of magic.

A few orcs managed to climb the walls before all ladders had been repelled once again. They managed to kill two soldiers and injure another but then they were killed in the end. Their bodies were spikedwith arrows and sharp ice splinters. The defenders poured oil over the dead orcs then three soldiers of the Alliance pulled up the first body and threw it over the battlement. Kelrian,who had held the tip of his arrow in a torch shot the ignited arrow at the body once it landed on his race members. The body got ignited quickly and the fire spread out rapidly. The loud painful screams of the orcs were music to the defender's ears. Orcs ran around in panic while the mages and shamans tried to extinguish the flames as fast as possible.

But the defenders weren't idle in the meantime. Those who didn't carry a bow, a crossbow or a gun threw large stones at the orcs who were still standing in front of the wall. Boiling hot oil was spilled over the orc army. The screams became louder and the scent of burned flesh rose in the air. Dozens of orcs died within a short amount of time but they were still too many out there. They tried to climb the walls over and over again but the defenders pushed their ladders away and even destroyed some of them.

More orcs died but also defenders who were hit by arrows and spells. Priests took care of the wounded after they had been dragged away by their apprentices and squires. The dead were also dragged away by the squires who were too young and inexperienced to fight. The healers managed to help some of wounded but they couldn't help everyone. Some of them died before the healers were able to close their wounds, some of them died even though the healers had closed their wounds while others died before the squires could have brought them to the healers.

Kelrian kept firing so did any other defender with a bow, a crossbow or a gun. Almost every arrow was a hit and half of these arrows were deadly. He aimed at the head of those who didn't wear helmets while he aimed at the necks of the ones who wore helmets.

Kelrian rolled to the side, avoiding a lightning strike at the last moment. The lightning strike hit a soldier behind him who hadn't seen it coming. The soldier was flung away and landed on the ground behind the wall. He may have survived the spell but there was no way he had survived the fall. The walls were over sixty feet tall so it was guaranteed that the soldier was dead. But there was no time to mourn or feel sorry. Kelrian would have landed there with him if he wouldn't have rolled away.

He couldn't have done anything to save the soldier but there was something he could do. He could kill the one who had cast the spell. He had not seen who had cast the lightning strike so he just fired at any shaman he saw. He was on the move all the time while he killed many orcs. While he was moving all the time, the chance that something hit him was smaller but it still existed. Another lightning strike came in his direction, it was so fast that he didn't have the time to dodge it. Fortunately for him, a yellow shining barrier appeared around him at the last moment and protected him.

He turned his head a little so he could see the person who saved him, out of the corner of his eyes. It was his brother Seitor who was casting another spell at this very moment, shielding a woman who stood not far away from him. Kelrian gave his brother a thankful nod, then he knocked the next arrow and fired, hitting a female orc right between the eyes. The orc was dead immediately because the arrow had pierced her brain.

Hours passed quickly. Thousands of orcs died trying to climb the walls. Dozens succeeded but were killed in the end. But they didn't die without a fight and killed dozens of Alliance soldiers in return. The orc corpses were ignited and thrown back at their race members. Stones came in contact with the heads of orcs, boiling oil burned green skin and flesh, magical flames consumed orcs but also humans, high elves and dwarves. Arrows from the rangers were reversed and sent back by shamans who manipulated the wind. Earth elementals threw large stones and damaged the battlements or hit soldiers. Soldiers from both sides died but the orcs lost much more soldiers than the Alliance.

More hours passed. The orcs managed to send more warriors to the top of the wall because fewer soldiers of the Alliance were there who could push the ladders away. Over a hundred soldiers of the Alliance who had stood on this section of the wall had died since the start of the battle. Only fifty archers, twenty mages, fifteen priests and nearly a hundred melee fighters stood on this section while thousands of orcs waited in front of the west wall.

Kelrian noticed that another orc was about to reach the top of a wall. The ladder the green creature was climbing on was not far away from him so he sprinted to it and released an arrow. He stood right above the orc so the brute green-skinned creature had no chance of avoiding the arrow which hit him in the left eye. He screamed out in pain and let go of the ladder. Kelrian kicked him in the chest, causing that the orc lost hold and fell, landing in the mass of orcs who were gathered around the ladder.

He knocked another arrow and shot. The next orc tried to dodge it without success. The arrow didn't hit his head but his left shoulder instead. A painful roar escaped the orc's lips. It was so loud that Kelrian feared the ear-drums of his sensitive ears would burst. Fortunately, they didn't. All the sounds he heard were just deaf for a few moments.

The orc tried to grab his foot but the ranger pulled it back at the last moment. Kelrian drew a dagger from his belt and rammed it in the orc's eye. The bald warrior's screams became much louder but Kelrian bore them. He pulled his sword from his belt and beheaded the orc, silencing him that way. The next orc reached the end of the ladder but he was hit by an arrow of another ranger.

Kelrian spotted Zetai who nodded at him and a mage next to him who cast a spell. Kelrian stepped away from the ladder and nocked an arrow. The wooden ladder was set on fire, loud screams were hearable as the flames spread out and started to consume bodies of the orcs which were hanging on it. Two orcs reached the top before the ladder collapsed. The first one was knocked away by a shock wave, causing that he was thrown off the wall and landed on the ground. The second one was not burning but was hit by numerous arrows. Nevertheless, he was still able to move. He ran towards Kelrian, raising his axe above his head. But Zetai tackled him and threw him onto the floor, preventing that he could harm his friend.

The muscular elf put the orc in the headlock and cut his throat quickly. He stood up and picked his bow up, shooting more arrows at the attackers who tried to reach the top of the wall. The defenders gave their best to prevent that the Horde would climb the walls but there were too many orcs and too many ladders. They couldn't prevent that more and more orcs reached the top. The orcs didn't hesitate to charge at the defenders who were physically weaker than them.

The battle was bloody. Limbs were separated, blood was spilt and innards were spread all over the floor. Throats were cut, soldiers were cut in halves by the massive axes of the orcs and heads were separated. People burned to death, got frozen in ice blocks which were later crushed or hit the ground after they had been thrown in the air by a gust of wind.

There were numerous ways of how soldiers died during this battle. The Alliance was losing too many soldiers over time while each dead orc on top of the wall was replaced by two equally terrifying orcs. The orcs got the upper hand slowly and it seemed that it was only a matter of time until the last Alliance soldier on this section would die. But fortunately for the defenders, reinforcements came from within the city.

Two squadrons of at least one hundred soldiers came to their aid. They climbed the walls and charged at the orcs. But they were not the only reinforcement Kelrian and the remaining fifty soldiers of Vara's squad received. Gryphons and dragonhawks came out of nowhere and attacked the orcs on the walls. Their riders cast spells or shot arrows while their mounts attacked the green brutes with their claws and beaks.

Archers and spellcasters from the ground fired at them so half of them began to focus on the orc shamans, warlocks, archers and mages who tried to bring them down. Lots of these beautiful creatures died with their riders. Death was unavoidable. Not everyone was as lucky as Kelrian who had only been grazed by an arrow until now.

He and the other rangers stayed behind the heavily armoured knights of Lordaeron who did their best to keep the orcs away from the ranged fighters. Their massive iron shields withstood against several blows of the orcs' mighty weapons. But these weapons were able to break through lots of shields and armours after some time. Numerous knights died. Whenever one was killed, another took his place in the line they had formed. They wouldn't let any orc through as long as they would live.

Hours quickly turned into days. The defenders were exhausted but they kept fighting. The blessings of the priests and spells from several mages gave them enough strength to keep fighting. Not to mention that the adrenaline kept them awake and also gave them the necessary strength to continue swinging their weapons. More reinforcements had come to replace dead and injured soldiers and strengthen the defence.

Kelrian had no clue how the situation at the gate looked like. He had no time to think about it because he was busy fighting. He only hoped the orcs wouldn't manage to break through the gate.

The soldiers of the Alliance wouldn't be able to hold them back if they would succeed. The orcs would charge through the city and kill anyone who would come in their way. Defenceless men, women and children. Even older citizens wouldn't be spared. The orcs knew no mercy and had no moral values. They wouldn't stop until they had left the city in ruins.

The only way to prevent that was to hold them off and prevent that the gate would be destroyed or opened from within. The defenders had to buy time until the reinforcements from outside would arrive. Anduin Lothar and his army were still out there so was the army of the high elves. The orcs wouldn't know what would happen to them once these two armies would flank them from behind.

The defenders didn't know when they would arrive, they only knew they had to hold out as long as possible. That was their only goal. To Hold out until the reinforcements would arrive. But that was easier said than done. More and more orcs climbed the walls the longer the siege endured. Numerous orcs died but that they were still superior in number. Thousands of orcs stood in front of the wall and waited that they could climb the wall. The defenders had been forced back by the orcs so they couldn't push the ladders away to prevent that more orcs would reach the top. It didn't look good for the defenders.

Kelrian stood near the staircase that led down. He shot arrow after arrow and killed many orcs. Those who didn't die were injured and killed by someone else. But it didn't matter how many orcs he killed. Each dead orc was replaced by another while no one replaced the fallen soldiers on the side of the Alliance. They became less and less as time passed.

His heart was beating rapidly in his chest. He didn't feel as secure as he had felt on the first day. He had never expected that the orcs would manage to climb the walls and overwhelm the defenders. He and the other defenders had done a good job at preventing the orcs from reaching the top of the walls within the first few hours. But the more defenders had fallen the easier it had become for the orcs to reach the top.

Kelrian knew the defenders couldn't withstand the orcs for too long. They would have to give up this section of the wall if no reinforcements would arrive. They would die if no one would come to their aid. He was scared. He didn't want to die. He didn't want to die by the hands of an orc. He didn't want to die in general. He wanted to survive so he could return to Sylvanas. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He wanted to see his child growing up. There was nothing more he wanted than raising his child together with Sylvanas.

That was the future he wished for, but it didn't seem that he would have that future. It didn't look good for him and the other remaining soldiers. They had no chance against the superior number of orcs but they had to fight as long as they could stand. It was their duty to fight to their last breaths. They couldn't allow that the orcs would gain control over this section of the wall.

The Horde would climb down the walls and open the gate from within if Ranger-Captain Sweetblossom's unit and the reinforcements would fall. The rest of the orc army would enter the city and storm through the streets as soon as the gate would be opened. They would break in the houses and kill the innocent citizens. Men and children would die. Women would be raped and either killed or taken as prisoners. Houses would be raided and set on fire, streets would be devasted. The entire city would be plunged into chaos.

Lordaeron would fall if the soldiers on the wall wouldn't be able to hold the attackers back. Kelrian knew that there was no other way than fighting. They couldn't flee and give up the city. They had to fight and hope that the reinforcements would arrive soon.

Kelrian was about to pull another arrow out of his quiver as he noticed that there was only one arrow left in it. It was Sylvanas' arrow and he didn't want to use this one. He looked around quickly and rushed to the corpse of a fallen comrade whose torso had been pierced by a long spear. He didn't have the time to mourn for the loss of his comrade. He had to hurry. His heart was beating so fast in his chest that he feared it would explode the next moment. But it didn't.

He took the remaining five arrows out of his comrade's quiver and fired the first one at the nearest orc. He hit him in the left shoulder but that didn't seem to bother the massive orc who was more than a head taller than Kelrian. The orc turned around to look at Kelrian. His eyes were narrowed, his forehead was wrinkled and his sharp teeth were clenched.

It was unmistakable that the orc was very angry. He threw his massive axe at the elf who jumped to the side at the last moment, barely dodging it. His heart sunk in his boots as he saw the orc sprinting towards him. Two footmen in full armour stepped in his way but he pushed them away with ease as if they were nothing but bigstraw dolls. The soldiers landed on the floor and were defenceless but the orc ignored them. He had targeted someone else.

Kelrian shot another arrow at him but the orc caught it with his bare hand, breaking it as if it was nothing more than a toothpick. His green lips formed a mischievous smile as he spotted the heavily surprised expression on the ranger's face.

Kelrian shot another arrow, this time it was aimed at the orc's upper thigh. The arrow pierced through the leather armour and the orc's flesh but the brute didn't care at all. He made a large leap, landing right in front of the ranger. He carried no weapon in his hand so he grabbed Kelrian by the throat and lifted him above his head.

The orc opened his mouth and showed the ranger his massive and sharp fangs. He stared deep into his eyes as he started to strangle him. He was amused by the ranger's fear he could smell and see in his eyes.

Kelrian tried to get free but the orc's grip was too strong. He couldn't loosen his opponent's grip so he pulled his sword from his belt and tried to chop off the hand which held him but the orc grabbed his arm and held it in place.

The orc's grip on his arm became firmer and firmer.

_Crack_

The cry which escaped Kelrian's lips was not loud. Nevertheless, the orc smiled as he heard this painful sound. He had just broken the ranger's right arm with no effort. It made him happy to see the pain that was reflected by his opponent's face.

Waves of pain rushed through Kelrian's body. The waves become more intensive the longer the orc strangled him. Kelrian ran out of air, his lungs started to hurt and cried out for air. His heart was beating violently in his chest. He tried hard to get free but he didn't succeed. The orc was too strong and he was too weak because his strength was slowly leaving him. There was no way he could free himself. Not alone. Not without help.

But there was no one who could help him. The other soldiers around him were busy fighting so they couldn't help him. Most of them didn't even notice that the orc was about to strangle him to death.

Kelrian's vision began to blur out and he slowly lost the feeling over his body. He thought of Sylvanas and his unborn child. He thought of his family and his friends. He will never be able to see them again. Never. This was his last day. He wasn't ready to die. He didn't want to die but there was nothing he could do to prevent the inevitable. The orc was stronger than him so he would kill him.

Death was inevitable.

There was no way he would escape death.

His vision blurred out and everything around him became dark.


	49. Marks of War

Nothing.

There was nothing.

He felt nothing

Was he dead?

No?

He was not dead, was he?

He was alive?

Was he?

He felt something.

He felt something but he was not sure what it was.

A weird feeling which he had never felt before.

At least he thought that.

It turned out what he felt was not a weird or surreal feeling. He felt a soft tingling. Was something tingling him or was it his body which was tingling? He didn't know.

The more time passed the more intensive the tingling became. He noticed his slow but rhythmic heartbeats. His heart was beating which had to mean he was alive, right? He had to be.

Cold air. There was cold air in his lungs. Cold air he inhaled without even thinking about it. He was breathing, so he must be alive. He hoped that he was still alive and not in the afterlife. He hoped he was still in the world of the mortals and not somewhere else. But he couldn't see anything so he didn't know where he was. Everything around him was still dark. He felt nothing except for the intense tingling.

Then he felt something else. Pain. Pain which came from his right arm. He had an arm. Two arms to be exact and he also had legs. He felt them for the first time at this very moment. He could only move his limbs slightly. Well, not all of them. His right arm was immobile. He couldn't move it no matter how hard he tried and the pain he felt became more intense the harder he tried. He quickly realized he wouldn't be able to move it.

Everything around him was still dark but he heard something. Unfortunately, it was not understandable. More sounds were hearable and became clearer over time. He heard shouts but he didn't understand what was shouted. He was able to see something. Everything around him was blurred out but he could see colours and vague outlines.

Kelrian felt something. Something which came in contact with his shoulders. He felt something on his torso. He noticed that he was lifted up. He assumed that someone carried him. The outlines became a little clearer. The colours around him changed so he assumed that he was somewhere else.

There was a blurred circle. No, not a circle. It was a face. A face with light skin colour. The face became clearer over the time and the noises he heard became more intelligible. He could recognize the face eventually. It was a familiar face.

The face of Seitor. Kelrian's brother who had hated him for almost twenty years since he had failed the first priest examination. Seitor's face showed worry. There was a cut in his left cheek out of which blood came out but that didn't seem to bother him.

Kelrian got the feeling over his body back. Over his entire body. He could feel and move everything except for his right arm. It was hurting so much whenever he tried to move it.

"Stop trying to move your arm, brother. You only hurt yourself," spoke Seitor. Kelrian had almost forgotten that his voice was so deep. Much deeper than his and their father's voices. He hadn't talked to him for almost twenty years so it was only natural that he didn't remember his voice.

"What happened?" Kelrian asked as he tried to remember anything. He couldn't remember much. An orc had charged at him. That was the last thing he remembered.

"An orc was about to kill you but your friend saved you in the last moment. I just brought you in the inside of the nearest tower to make sure none of these green bastards kills you."

Kelrian turned his head slightly and checked his surroundings. He was sitting on the floor with his back against a wall. His brother squatted next to him and regarded his arm closely. There were staircases not far away from them. One led to the next lower level while the other to the next higher level. There were a few tables, chairs, bookshelves and even a wardrobe. He also saw spears, swords, bows and other weapons hanging on weapon racks.

He looked back at his older brother who was still worried about him. He noticed that his yellow robe was stained with blood but it was not his blood. Kelrian assumed it was the blood of the wounded he had treated. Seitor's hair was long and made up in a ponytail. He didn't look similar to Kelrian but he was also handsome. Unlike him, Seitor was not very muscular but he didn't need muscles as a priest.

"Thank you, brother," Kelrian spoke quietly.

"Your arm is broken that's for sure. I can ease the pain but I cannot fully heal your arm. I can cast a few spells which increase the healing speed but it will still take weeks until your arm is fully healed."

"You mean I can't fight for the rest of the battle?"

Seitor shook his head. "No, Kel. As long as you are not able to shoot with one arm, I'm afraid you won't be able to fight."

"I can still fight with a sword," mentioned Kelrian.

"You won't survive long if you go in melee combat against these monstrosities."

"But..."

Seitor put his hand on his brother's mouth, silencing him. "You can't, Kel. Fighting in your condition is pure suicide. I know we have to stop the orcs but you won't help anyone if you get killed by the first brute who approaches you. You have to stay here and wait."

Kelrian was silent and made a thoughtful face. It was clearly visible that he didn't like the idea of not fighting and hiding instead. He was a fighter. He wouldn't shrink back from fighting for the Alliance. He wanted nothing more than returning to the battlefield and killing as many orcs as possible. But he knew his brother was right. He would only be able to do much with only one arm. He would only die for no reason.

He couldn't allow that. He wanted to live and return to his family. He wanted to return to Sylvanas and raise their child with her. He wanted nothing more than that.

"I guess you are right," Kelrian said eventually.

"Can you stand up and walk?"

"I hope so," Kelrian replied and tried to get up. Seitor helped him and stabilized him as he noticed that he was unsteady on his legs. They walked over to the wardrobe, Seitor opened it and helped Kelrian to climb in it. "Stay there, brother. Hide until the battle is over. I don't want you to die because of unnecessary heroism. I don't want you to waste your life because you want to fight until you can't stand anymore. You won't be able to do much with only one arm so remain here and hide."

"But...I'm... I'm not a coward..."

"I know that but sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do. You don't want to break mother's heart, do you?"

Kelrian shook his head. "I don't want to make her sad."

"I don't want her to be sad either. Do you promise me to stay here and hide?" Seitor asked, looking into his little brother's eyes.

Kelrian returned the stare. "I will."

Seitor gave him a small smile. Kelrian was still surprised by his change of attitude. Many years ago, Seitor wouldn't have minded if Kelrian would have died. He had regarded him as a shame for their family and had treated him like a piece of shit.

But he didn't treat him like that anymore. He no longer hated him. He had changed his mind completely. For Kelrian, it didn't matter if he had come to the conclusion on his own that there was no reason to hate him or if someone had convinced him of that. Kelrian was just glad that his brother no longer despised him.

"There is something we have to talk about. Something I noticed before Zetai saved you. We don't have time for this now because I'm needed out there. We will talk as soon as the battle is over. If we survive, at least," Seitor said after he had cast two spells on his brother that would make his arm heal faster. He told him that his bones wouldn't heal within a week. He also told him it would take some time until he would be able to move his right arm again.

Kelrian gave him a thankful nod. "Be careful, Seitor."

Seitor made a serious face as he nodded. "I will. See you soon, my dear brother."

Seitor looked at his little brother one more time before he closed the double doors of the wardrobe and hurried out of the room back to the battle on top of the wall.

* * *

Kelrian opened his eyes as he heard a quiet noise. He stood up carefully and pulled a dagger from his belt. He was still hiding inside the wardrobe because he was not able to do anything with a broken arm. He would only die if he would try to fight the orcs in close combat with only one arm. It may not be honourable to hide in the wardrobe while others were fighting for Lordaeron but he didn't care about honour. He just wanted to survive and return to Sylvanas and their unborn child.

He would do no one a favour if he would charge back into the battle. He believed no one would hold that against him once they would find out. He was injured and every injured soldier who had survived and been brought inside the keep of Lordaeron where they were treated by priests.

Kelrian didn't want to die nor did he want his child to grow up with only one parent. He had two options. He could hide there or return to the wall where he would most likely die. He had made his choice. He was no coward. He would fight until his last breath if he wouldn't be injured.

But he was injured and he believed he wouldn't make a difference if he would return to battle. He would only find a quick death if he would return so he had decided to stay and wait. He would wait until he would feel stronger so he could walk without needing the support of someone. His plan was to reach the keep and enter it.

But he was not sure if he would manage to do that. His legs were still shaking and hurting. His back hurt too. He assumed that he had landed hard on the ground when the orc had dropped him. He didn't know how much time had passed since he had climbed in the wardrobe but the pain hadn't alleviated in the meantime. On the contrary, it had become worse. His arm really hurt. The pain he felt because of his back was nothing compared to it.

The noises became louder. He heard footsteps. Heavy footsteps. Probably an orc or a soldier of the Alliance with very heavy armour. He remained in the wardrobe. He was ready to attack any foe who would open the double doors. He was not sure if he would be able to do much with his dagger but he wouldn't go down without a fight. The footsteps stopped and he heard heavy breaths. He couldn't tell if the breathing belonged to an orc or a member of the Alliance. He remained alerted and waited patiently. He was ready to attack any creature with green skin.

The double doors were opened but the person who looked at him was not an orc. It was a human. An old human with a long white beard and magnificent armour which was covered in blood. He carried a gigantic sword in his hand which was almost as big as he was. He regarded Kelrian for a few moments, then he allowed him to come out of the wardrobe. Kelrian was about to say something as he noticed the orc that just entered the room at this very moment.

Kelrian didn't hesitate to throw his dagger at him, hitting him in the left eye. The orc cried out in pain and stopped moving. The old man turned around without hesitation and rushed towards the orc. He blocked his axe blow with his massive sword, then he made an attacking move and cut off the orc's hand. The orc's cries became louder as the man thrust his sword through his chest. The warrior pulled it out and beheaded the orc a moment later. He waited until the orc's body and head landed on the ground, then he turned around and walked to Kelrian.

"You got quick reactions, elf," spoke the man.

"Thank you," responded Kelrian. He scrutinized the man closely. His armour was very thick and heavy. The shoulder plates were massive and shaped like a lion's head. His belt buckle and his shield, which leaned against the wardrobe, had a similar was impressed that this old man was able to move so fast while wearing such heavy armour.

"You are welcome, boy," responded the man. He pointed at Kelrian's broken arm. "Your arm doesn't look good. You should let someone check it."

Kelrian turned his head and looked at his right arm, noticing that it was swollen and coloured in dark purple. "A massive orc broke it as if it was nothing more than a toothpick for him."

"I see. Your uniform is covered in blood. It seems you killed many of these creatures in return."

"I did but most of them with my bow. I avoid melee combat whenever I can. The orcs are physically stronger than me. Stronger by a lot."

"It was clever to hide in the closet **.** You would have found only a quick death out there if you would have returned to battle. How long have you been hiding here?"

"I don't know, to be honest. The pain became so intense that I passed out. I believe that at least. I have no idea how much time has passed. What day is it?"

"The 27th of March."

"So, six days have passed since the start of the siege. I haven't noticed that so much time has passed. Is the siege still going on?"

The man shook his head. "The orcs fled once my army and the army of your people arrived. We killed thousands of them before they managed to escape. The siege is over. The orcs didn't manage to break through the front gate nor did they manage to leave the walls and storm into the city."

A sigh of relief escaped Kelrian's lips. "I'm glad that we won but we wouldn't have managed that without your assistance. Thank you."

The corners of the man's lips formed a smile. "We are on the same side, so we helped out with pleasure. I only wished we would have arrived a few days earlier. We would have lost fewer soldiers if we would have been there from the start of the siege."

"We won, that's all that matters. The war might not be over but I assume that the orcs lost more than half of their warriors. We killed thousands of them during the past days and I believe more fell near the gate," replied the ranger. He tilted his head a little, a questioning look appeared on his face. "How did you know that I was hiding in this wardrobe?"

"Your friend told me."

Kelrian tilted his head. "My friend? Not my brother?"

The man nodded. "He told me his name is Zetai and that your brother told him he put you in the wardrobe. What's your name, boy?"

"My name is Kelrian Sunsinger. I belong to the Ranger-General's elite squad."

"Kelrian Sunsinger. I've heard of you. You're the one who managed to escape from the captivity of the Amani trolls with the troll queen as a hostage. That's really impressive."

Kelrian gave him a small smile. "Thank you. Am I allowed to know who you are?"

"Of course, you are. My name is Anduin Lothar."

Kelrian's eyes widened as he heard that name. Anduin Lothar. The Anduin Lothar. The legendary warrior. The most prominent human warrior of the Alliance. He had a similar status to Sylvanas. Everyone knew about him, everyone admired him and every enemy feared him. Kelrian had heard many tales of this warrior. He had heard he slew tens of thousands of orcs since the opening of the Dark Portal. He was known as the best warrior of the Alliance. No one was better in close combat than him.

Sylvanas may be the only person who would be a challenge for the warrior. A battle between them would be very interesting. Anduin was an old but experienced warrior and he had massive armour, a massive shield and a gigantic sword. Sylvanas was also very good in close combat but her swords wouldn't do much against his armour. But she was faster and the best archer on Azeroth. She wouldn't allow Anduin to come too close to her and he wore no helmet. A duel between them would have three possible outcomes. Either Sylvanas or Anduin would win or it would end in a tie. A sparring match between them would be interesting to watch.

"It's an honour to meet you, sir," responded Kelrian once he had ordered his thoughts.

Anduin chuckled. "It's an honour for me too, boy."

"I am no longer a boy, not since our king changed the laws not long ago," mentioned Kelrian.

"I'm sorry, it's just an old habit that doesn't want to leave me."

"It's okay, you can call me whatever you want. It's not that I would stipulate the legendary warrior Anduin Lothar how to call me, an ordinary ranger."

Anduin chuckled. "Ordinary ranger? From what I have heard you are one of the best the Ranger-General has."

Kelrian blushed and rubbed the back of his head with his left hand. "Who said that?"

The warrior chuckled again, a small smile appeared on his lips. "Your General of course. We talked about our best men when I met her the last time. She told me about you and your friend Zetai. I could tell you what exactly she said but I think it's better that we bring you to a healer first. Your arm needs to be treated."

Kelrian nodded. "You are right."

* * *

The air was stale, it smelled after piss and death as Kelrian entered the military hospital for the first time. The aromas of various medicines hung in the air. He heard the painful cries and shouts of wounded soldiers. He heard loud groans, prayers and sobs. People were crying as they regarded the motionless corpses of their loved ones.

The military hospital was larger than Kelrian had expected. There were many rows of beds in this room. At least twenty beds stood in one row and this room was not the only room where the injured soldiers rested. There were more rooms which were as large as this one. Almost all the beds were taken in this room. The severity of the wounds varied from patient to patient. Some of them only had medium-sized cuts while others had much deeper cuts and stab wounds which had resulted in a loss of a massive amount of blood. Those who had survived the blood loss lied in the left row of beds.

But there were also soldiers with worse wounds. Some of them had lost an arm or a leg, some had lost both legs or an arm and a leg. Others had burn wounds which had left scars on their skin. There were many soldiers where at least one part of their bodies was wrapped in bloody bandages. But not only the bandages were soaked in blood. There were also numerous blankets which were soaked in blood. Some of them laid on the floor while others still covered the bodies of the patients.

There were not enough healers in this part of the hospital to treat every patient at once. There were too many injured soldiers and too few staff members. The healers, their assistants and apprentices did their best to help the injured soldiers and keep the room as clean as possible at the same time. They tried it but they didn't manage it. They didn't have the time to keep the room tidy enough. Hygiene was very important but the well-being of the wounded was more important so the healers took care of the patients first and while their apprentices kept the room as tidy as possible.

It was not tidy for the liking of the high priestess of Lordaeron but there was nothing she could do to change it. The well-being of the patient had priority. They would have enough time to clean everything once most of the patients had been treated.

Kelrian regarded the scene in front of him for a few moments, then he turned his head to look at Anduin Lothar whose old eyes shifted from soldier to soldier. Most of the soldiers were humans, about a third were high elves and only about two dozen patients were dwarves. Anduin knew some of the human soldiers. He didn't know them by their name but he had seen them before. Kelrian knew a few of the high elves there but only briefly. No friends of him were in this part of the hospital. He hoped that none of them was in any other part of the hospital. He hoped they had survived the battle and were alright.

"The staff is very busy. So many wounded soldiers... So many soldiers that died... The outcome of the battle is worse than I've hoped for," muttered Kelrian.

"But we won, that's all that matters," responded Anduin.

A nod from Kelrian was the only response the old warrior received.

"There is an empty bed over there," said the warrior and pointed at a bed in the third row near the other side of the room. Kelrian started to walk towards the bed, his gaze rested on the soldiers he passed. Most of them didn't look at him because they were busy with something else or were sleeping. Kelrian could understand why they were doing that because the battle must have really exhausted them.

He was also really exhausted. He had fought for days without a pause and had been awake most of the time while he had been hiding in the wardrobe. He wanted nothing more than lying down in a bed and get some sleep. But he was not sure if his hurting arm would allow him to rest. Maybe with the help of some medicine, he could fall asleep.

But he assumed that his broken arm would not be the only thing which would stop him from getting enough sleep. He expected that the nightmares would plague him during the night. He had not assimilated the events in Zul'Aman yet and he had seen so many horrible things during the past days. He assumed that his nightmares would become worse. He could only hope that the medicine they would give him would stop the nightmares somehow. He didn't believe it would work that way but he hoped it would.

Kelrian sat down once he arrived at the bed. Anduin stepped to him and checked their surroundings. "I will see if I can find a healer who can take care of your arm."

"There are soldiers with worse wounds, I don't mind waiting a bit longer. I can bear the pain," responded Kelrian.

Anduin turned his head to look at him, scrutinizing him closely. "I believe that but no soldier should be in pain longer than necessary."

"My brother will arrive soon. At least I hope so."

"Depends on how much time the soldier needs to find our brother. You told him his name and described his appearance. Who knows how much time will pass until he finds your brother?

"I hope he will find him soon" replied Kelrian.

"I hope so too. Nevertheless, I will see if I can get a healer for you. If there is none available..."

"Then I have to wait. I'm fine with that because I can bear the pain."

"Are you sure?"

"I am. It really hurts but I've felt worse pain." Kelrian remembered the day where he had been beaten up by the mercenaries his father had hired. He remembered it as if had happened yesterday. He remembered the pain he had felt until the doctors had given him the right medicine. His ribs had been broken back then which was much worse than a broken arm. His arm was hurting but only extremely when he tried to move it. His ribs had hurt whenever he had made a breath or moved his upper body just slightly.

But his broken ribs had been healed eventually and he was sure his arm would also heal. He just needed to be patient. He just had to wait here and let the priests and doctors take care of him as soon as they had time for him.

Kelrian leaned back, putting his head on a pillow. He closed his eyes and relaxed, drifting off eventually.

He opened his eyes as he heard quiet voices. He waited until his vision was clear and looked around, spotting Zetai and his sister Sydori next to his bed. Zetai's entire torso was covered by bandages while half of Sydori's head was wrapped up by bandages.

"Zetai. Sydori. It's good to see you both alive. Where is Seitor?" Kelrian asked curiously. He swallowed as he saw the change in their expressions. Sydori's worried expression became sad and Zetai's neutral expression changed to worry. Kelrian had a very bad feeling about what would happen next. He was afraid of what they would tell him soon.

He was afraid that something had happened to Seitor.

Was he injured?

Was he alright?

Was he dead?

Had the orcs kidnapped him?

He hoped Seitor was alright. He remembered that he hadn't cared about his fate for a while but since he had found out that his brother didn't hate him anymore and cared about him instead, he had started to care about him too. He didn't want him to be dead. He hoped his brother would be alive but the unpleasant silence, the tears in Sydori's eyes and the look on her face told him that something had happened. Something really bad.

Sydori didn't say anything in the first few minutes. She struggled hard to hold her tears back but she didn't succeed. Her bottom lip was trembling so were her hands. Her face was pale and her eyes were wet from crying because she had cried before she had come to the hospital. Judging by the look on her face, Kelrian was pretty sure that he wouldn't like the news she would bring him.

Sydori parted her lips eventually but no words came out of her mouth. Only quiet sobs were hearable. She was not in the condition to say anything. She was still too shocked and her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. Zetai exhaled quietly and came closer to Kelrian as he realized his best friend's sister wouldn't be able to say what she wanted to say.

Zetai took a deep breath. **"** I'm so sorry but I have to tell you that your brother...," Zetai took another deep breath, his eyes didn't stop staring into Kelrian's. "Your brother didn't make it. I'm so sorry."


	50. Loss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter was not easy to write. Things are going to be emotional.

Kelrian's eyes widened, his heart stopped beating for a moment and his throat felt dry. He parted his lips to say something, but like his sister, he was speechless. He couldn't believe it at first but the longer he looked at them, the more he got convinced that his best friend had said the truth. His brother was dead. He died during the battle. He had been killed by these green bastards.

Kelrian would never see him again. He hadn't had any contact with him over the past eighteen years. He hadn't cared about him most of the time but now he did. He had started liking his brother after he had found out that he didn't hate him anymore. He would have gotten closer to him and befriended him again but that would never happen because Seitor was dead. He would never see him, talk to him or do something with him again.

Kelrian stared at his hands, his ears hung low and his face reflected sadness and grief. He had loved his brother so the news about his death shocked him. He didn't know what to say or what to do. He just sat there and did nothing. He felt a hand on his shoulder but he didn't look at the hand's owner.

He had no clue how much time had passed as he lifted his gaze eventually. For him, it had felt like an eternity. But as he looked at the nearest clock, he realized that only half an hour had passed. Zetai and Sydori still stood next to his bed. Zetai had wrapped his arms around the smaller woman and pressed her slightly against him as she sobbed her heart out. He gave his best to comfort her.

Kelrian knew he should be the one to comfort her but he was a mess at the moment. He was glad his best friend took care of his sister so she wouldn't be alone. He was glad she had someone who comforted her. Zetai was not a bad guy. He may not be a good guy because he had killed a pregnant woman only to get his revenge but he was not an evil person. He cared for his fellow men. At least for all high elves. Kelrian was not sure if Zetai cared about the humans and dwarves the same way.

Kelrian didn't say anything. He just looked at his best friend and his sister, regarding them for a while. A priest came to him after a while. It was a young human who had short black hair, a full-beard and a scar on the left side of his neck. He wore a blue robe with the symbol of Lordaeron on its chest.

He didn't say anything as he stopped next to Kelrian and examined his arm carefully. He looked in Kelrian's face as soon as he was done examining. "How do you feel?"

"My arm hurts but the pain is bearable, at least for the moment," responded Kelrian.

"I will cast a spell to ease the pain, then I will give you some medicine that will help you. Your bones should heal faster and the pain should become bearable."

Kelrian nodded his head silently. The priest muttered a few sentences and his hands started to glow golden. He held his hands right above Kelrian's arm, not daring to touch it. Kelrian noticed that the pain diminished slowly but it didn't disappear. He felt much better once the priest was done. The man signalized him that he would come back soon, then he walked away. He returned a few minutes later with a tin of white pills. He handed it over to Kelrian who took it without hesitation. "Take two of these pills whenever you eat something. They should help you."

Kelrian gave the man a small smile. "Thank you."

"I'm not done yet. I need to put your arm in a plaster cast," spoke the human.

Kelrian nodded.

"Would you follow me?"

Kelrian nodded again and got up, following the priest out of the room.

* * *

Kelrian returned to the first hall after two hours. His right arm had been bent and put in a plaster cast as the priest had said. The plaster cast would prevent that his bones would grow crooked. The priest had told him that his bones would need a few weeks to heal. He had also told him that he shouldn't burden his arm too much as soon as he could move it again. He recommended him to not join the war for at least one entire month after the plaster cast had been removed.

Kelrian didn't like what the priest had said but he knew he was right. He didn't like to be useless and unable to fight but he had no other choice. Joining the battle too soon could lead to incurable wounds if he would get injured again. He wanted to fight as soon as possible but he had no other choice than waiting. He wouldn't do himself a favour if his arm would get injured again.

Nevertheless, he hoped that the war wouldn't last that long. He orcs had lost tens of thousands of warriors. They had probably lost more than half of their army, so Kelrian hoped the united forces of the Alliance would defeat them once and for all. He hoped that the Warchief would either be captured or killed. It was a shame that a few of Zul'jin's remaining warriors had managed to rescue their leader a few days ago. Because of that Kelrian hoped that at least the Warchief would pay for his crimes.

Kelrian had been more than just surprised as the priest had told him that a group of the remaining Amani trolls had attacked the camp Zul'jin had been held and rescued the leader of the Amani. Halduron Brightwing had been wounded by the trolls but survived. Zul'jin may have lost his arm but he had managed to escape.

Kelrian was not delighted that this bastard escaped. So many high elves, humans and dwarves died to capture Zul'jin but he escaped. It seemed that his comrades died for nothing but the truth was that they didn't waste their lives. The Amani army had been almost completely annihilated. Zul'jin didn't have enough warriors to plan a counter-attack. All he could do was to hide somewhere and hope the Alliance would never find him. The Amani trolls were no longer a threat for the Alliance. Only the orcs were left but it was only a matter of time until the Alliance would defeat them as well.

Kelrian wished he could join the final battle and be there when the Warchief would fall in battle or get captured. But he assumed the Alliance wouldn't wait too long to attack Blackrock Spire, the base of the orcs. The war wouldn't endure much longer if everything would go according to plan but things usually didn't go as the Alliance had planned.

Nobody would have expected that the orcs would enslave the Red Dragonflight and use its members to burn a large portion of the high elf army. Nobody would have expected that the orcs would destroy Stormwind in the first war. Things never went as people expected, so Kelrian could only hope the orcs would be defeated as soon as possible. He also hoped the Alliance wouldn't lose too many soldiers. Many would die, he was sure of that but he still hoped for the best outcome.

Kelrian walked to his bed, finding out that Zetai and Sydori were sitting on it. They were physically not as close to each otheras they had been two hours. They sat there and stared at each other without saying anything. Kelrian walked to them silently and sat down between them.

"You are back," Sydori said quietly. Kelrian nodded silently and stared into her eyes. He could still see the grief in her eyes and he could understand it. He was also mourning for his brother. His relationship with Seitor had never been as good as the one Sydori had with him. Nevertheless, he really missed him already. His brother had changed his mind about him. He had no longer regarded him as a piece of shit. Kelrian and Seitor would have become as close again as they had been before their father had stirred Seitor and Sydori against their younger brother.

Their bond would have been restored over the time if Seitor wouldn't have fallen in the battle. But now that he was gone, Kelrian would never find out if Seitor had truly changed. He would never see him again, would never be able to speak to him and spend time with him. Seitor was gone forever Kelrian got really depressed when he thought about him. He had no idea how he should tell his mother that she would never be able to see her oldest son again. Hearing the bad news would break his mother's heart. He knew he had to tell her as soon as he would see her again.

But he had no idea how. He had to break it to her gently. She would break out in tears, he was sure about that and he would comfort her as best as he could. He had to. He also had to tell the bad news to his younger siblings. Cincia and Sindor wouldn't be happy either. He had to tell his family because he didn't want that a stranger would do it. But first, he had to comfort Sydori somehow.

She had stopped crying for the moment but that didn't mean she was fine. Kelrian assumed that she would need some time to come to terms with Seitor's death. He had no idea how long his family would need to accept Seitor's death. He didn't even know how long he would need. He just knew that accepting his death wouldn't be easy.

Sylvanas hadn't left her room for nearly three weeks after the death of her brother. She was the strongest person he knew but not even she had been able to overcome her grief within a short amount of time. He could only assume that his sister would also need a lot of time to cope with Seitor's death. But he would be there for her and comfort her as best as he could. It would be a bit easier for them because they could get through this phase of grief together.

Kelrian knew that his brother's death had hit Sydori much harder than him so he would stay with her as long as she would need him. He wouldn't be able to return to the battlefield for at least two months so he had enough time he could spend with his family and try to comfort them as best as he could. He had enough time to cope with Seitor's death for his own. And he had enough time he could spend with Sylvanas once he was sure his family was alright.

He had to tell his family about Sylvanas when the right time had come. He could only do that once his family had accepted Seitor's death. But he will tell them about Sylvanas and their baby, he just didn't know when exactly it will happen. All he could do was to wait for the perfect moment.

He was pretty sure Sylvanas would share the news with her family. Alleria and her mother knew about him so did Vereesa and her father. They knew about him but they didn't know about the child she was expecting. He wondered how they would react and how his family would react. He hoped they would be happy and wouldn't mind that he and Sylvanas weren't married. Alleria and Turalyon hadn't been married when Arator had been born nor were they married these days. He assumed that Sylvanas' family wouldn't mind that his and Sylvanas' baby would be born out of wedlock.

He was not sure what his family would say but he assumed that they wouldn't really mind. His mother had told him often enough that she would be happy as long as he would be happy. His father wouldn't like it, he was sure about that, but he didn't care about his father's opinion. He didn't care about his father and didn't respect him anymore, not after everything he had done. The only opinions that mattered for him were the ones of his mother, siblings, friends and of course the opinion of Sylvanas. He didn't care what others thought about him. He didn't care what others would think about him once the public will find out about him, Sylvanas and their baby.

"How are you doing, Sydori?" Kelrian asked after he had been silent for nearly five minutes.

"I don't know yet... I feel... shattered... Shattered and empty..."

Kelrian nodded silently and put a hand on her left cheek, wiping the tears away which left her eyes. "Does anyone know how...how it happened?" Kelrian asked quietly. Sydori shook her head slowly. Kelrian turned his head to look at Zetai whose facial expression was neutral. "A female orc threw her battle axe at him. It hit him in the chest... I assume you can imagine the rest."

Kelrian nodded to him sadly, his ears hung low and his eyes reflected grief.

"I didn't know him at all nor did you talk much about him. I just knew that your relationship was not the best. Nevertheless, I do feel bad that he died. You may have not gotten along with him very well but he was your brother after all. I have had lots of arguments with my brother and I had hated him from time to time but I still miss him even though he was an asshole most of the time. I would give everything to see him again but...," a sad sigh escaped Zetai's lips as he paused. His eyes reflected sadness for a short moment before his facial expression became neutral again. "I'm sorry for your loss," he muttered.

Kelrian put a hand on his shoulder and patted it softly. "Thank you."

Zetai didn't say anything in response, he just stared at his friend who had a thoughtful look on his face.

"You are right that our relationship was difficult most of the time... He treated me like a piece of shit for years so did Sydori because our father manipulated them by telling them lies. I'm glad that they finally realized that he was wrong. Seitor and I would have grown closer and we could have restored the normal relationship we once had, if...if we would have had more time...," Kelrian stopped speaking and wiped the tears away which rolled down his cheeks. "But now...Now it's too late... I will never see him again... He is gone...And he will never return...," Kelrian's voice broke and he buried his face in his hands as he started to sob.

He couldn't stop the tears nor did he want to stop them. He wanted to let his feelings out, not caring what the other persons in the room would say. There was nothing wrong about showing his feelings. He let it go and showed others how he felt. The loss of his brother had affected him more than he had expected. A month ago, he would have reacted differently if he would have heard of Seitor's death but since he noticed Seitor's change of behaviour his opinion about him had changed.

For Kelrian, it didn't matter how Seitor had behaved in the past. It didn't matter anymore that he had been manipulated by their father and believed all of his lies. He had believed him without thinking about his arguments and forming his own opinion. But that didn't matter anymore. Kelrian wished he could tell him that he had forgiven him but he would never be able to do that because Seitor was dead.

The ranger felt arms around his shoulders which pulled him closer. These arms weren't as strong as Zetai's so he could only assume they were Sydori's arms. He looked up eventually, finding out it was indeed his sister who hugged him and did her best to comfort him. He stayed in her arms, pulling away after nearly an hour. He took the handkerchief Zetai offered him, wiped his tears away and dried his eyes.

"Seitor told me that he wanted to speak to me about something after the end of the battle. I guess I'll never find out what he wanted to tell me."

Zetai looked at his friend. "I think I know what he wanted to tell you."

Kelrian raised an eyebrow, giving the other ranger a curious look.

"Everything happened so fast so I'm not sure if what I have seen really happened. I saw a small fireball that hit the orc's head right before I shot my arrow at him. I might be mistaken but I'm sure that the spell came from you. You have tried to reach the orc's face with your hand but you didn't come close to it. But then a fireball was created near your opened hand and was thrown at the orc who dropped you once the flames started to consume his head."

Kelrian's eyes reflected confusion. "A fireball? From me? Are you sure?"

"A small fireball to be exact. The orc had no other choice than to let you go. I don't want to imagine what would have happened if that fireball wouldn't have hit the orc's face."

Kelrian couldn't believe what his friend had just said. A fireball. There was no way he had managed to create a fireball. He was not a mage and even if he was, it was still impossible. His vision had blurred out and everything around him had become dark as the orc had throttled him. There was no way he could have created a fireball while slowly losing his consciousness.

Zetai must be mistaken. Kelrian believed that someone else had created the fireball and thrown it at the orc and Zetai hadn't seen it coming so he believed that he had created the fireball. Kelrian was no mage nor did he have any relatives in his family who were mages. There was no way he would be able to perform magic.

"You must be mistaken, Zetai. There is no way I created a small fireball. I'm not able to cast any spell. Except for the invisible spell all rangers know."

Zetai made a thoughtful face. "It looked like that to me but maybe you are right. Maybe I have been mistaken and someone else threw the fireball at the orc. Who knows?"

Doubt and confusion were visible in Kelrian's face. "You must be right," he muttered. He didn't believe that he was capable of using magic nor did he believe he had created a fireball for the first time in a near-death situation. Zetai must be mistaken and someone else must have created the fireball.

That was the only logical explanation that came in his mind. The other explanations were far-fetched. In his opinion at least. Zetai swore what he had seen had been real but he didn't want to argue with his friend so he remained silent and stopped speaking about that topic.

Kelrian was silent so was Sydori. None of them said anything, they just stared at random spots in the room. They remained silent, each of them was hoping that the others would say something. But nobody spoke. Ten minutes had passed and no one had said anything so far. The silence was oppressive and the atmosphere was bad but none of them did anything to brighten it up. They just sat there and did nothing except moping.

Kelrian stared at his fingers as he thought about many things. He thought about Seitor, his family in general and the family he will have in five months. He thought about Sylvanas and their unborn child, wondering if he would be a good father. He wondered how much their lives would change once the public would find out about Sylvanas' pregnancy. He wondered if Sylvanas would tell the public that he was the father or if she would keep it secret and never tell anyone who the father was. He assumed her family would be the only exception in this case.

He wondered how their lives would be after the end of the war and the birth of their child. Things would change, he was sure of that. He could only hope that his life would change for the better and not the opposite. He knew his life wouldn't get easier after the birth of the baby. Sylvanas and he would have more responsibilities and would have to spend lots of their free time with the baby. Raising a child wouldn't be easy.

There were several things he had to clear up with Sylvanas. He had to discuss with her if they would make their relationship official or if they would keep it secret. If they would keep it secret, he had to talk to her how often he would be allowed to see their child. Also, he had to discuss with her who would stay at home and take care of the child until it would be old enough to go to the nursery school. There were lots of unanswered questions they had to clear and unavoidable topics they had to talk about sooner or later.

Kelrian was brought out of his thoughts as someone cleared their throat. Kelrian turned his head and jumped up immediately as he saw who was standing not far away from his hospital bed. It was no other than Anduin Lothar who regarded the three elves curiously, his arms were crossed behind his back.

"Lord Commander Lothar, it's an honour for me to meet you," said Sydori and lowered her head in respect. Kelrian did the same and looked at Zetai who hadn't done it so far. The tall elf waited a few moments, then lowered his head out of respect after debating inwardly whether he should do it or not.

Anduin Lothar gave Sydori a small smile. "I'm also honoured to meet those who helped to defend Lordaeron. Without your effort, we would have lost."

"We didn't defend Lordaeron alone. There were tens of thousands of other soldiers who helped to defend the city. Thousands died during the battle. They gave their lives to protect the innocent," replied Kelrian.

Anduin nodded his head. "Their sacrifice will not be forgotten. No soldier who fought for the Alliance will be forgotten. We all risked our lives for the greater good. We risked our lives for the Alliance. I'm grateful for everyone who fought in the battle and gave their best."

Kelrian exhaled slowly, he seemed depressed. "Too bad I was injured and hid in a closet while the others kept fighting. I didn't give everything, not like the others who still fought with their injuries while I stayed behind like a coward."

Anduin gave him a reassuring smile as he put a hand on his shoulder and patted it softly. "There is no reason for you to blame yourself. You gave your best and fought for days. You got injured so you stayed behind the front because you couldn't fight properly with your broken arm. There is no shame in retreating. You would have found a quick death if you would have returned to the wall with a broken arm. The orcs would have killed you within a few minutes.

As you have witnesses, the orcs are very powerful creatures. One swing can be enough to kill one of our soldiers. Returning to the wall would have been suicide. The decision to hide was the only right decision you could have made in your situation.

You wouldn't have helped anyone if you would have returned to the top of the wall and died pretty fast. You made the right choice and no one will ever say anything against it. You had no other choice than hiding in the wardrobe until the end of the battle. No one would ever call you a coward because you didn't return to the wall with a broken arm. You don't have to feel bad, boy."

"If you say so," muttered Kelrian after he had thought about what the warrior had said.

The old man chuckled. "I didn't see you fighting but from what I've heard I believe you fought pretty well. You should be proud of yourself and happy. Unlike over ten thousand other soldiers, you survived this brutal and bloody battle. We lost so many soldiers but the orcs lost more. This victory was bloody but very important for us. I knew from the beginning that the outcome of the battle would define the outcome of the war. This battle was one of the most important battles of the war and we won it. That's all that matters. We weakened the orcs and drove them back. We will storm Blackrock Spire soon and defeat the orcs once and for all."

Kelrian nodded his head but didn't say anything. Zetai also nodded his head and remained silent. Not even Sydori said anything. The elves just stared at the legendary warrior who regarded them, pride was reflected by his face. He was proud of everyone who went to their limits to defend the city so he was proud of them too.

He had seen Zetai fighting when his men had flanked the orcs in front of the walls and had killed as many as possible. He had climbed the wall, once the orcs had started to flee, and fought on Zetai's side against the remaining orcs on top of the wall. He was impressed by his fighting style and his pure strength. He considered the tall elf as one of the best fighters he had ever seen. He was sure that a glorious future awaited him **.** He had the potential to become one of the best rangers of Quel'Thalas. He could belong to the best of the best if he would keep training and becoming better and better.

Anduin hadn't seen Kelrian and his sister fighting but the soldiers of Lordaeron had told him that they had done pretty well. He had heard that Kelrian had killed lots of orcs while his sister had prevented the deaths of many injured soldiers. She had also used her abilities to shield others and protect them from arrows, spells and other missiles. She had even used her powers to harm orcs. Holy smites and holy fires had killed a few orcs who had dared to come too close to her.

All three of them had given their best so they should be proud of themselves. Nevertheless, Kelrian had the feeling he could have done more. He knew that he had given his best and Anduin even praised him and the others. Nevertheless, he was disappointed in himself. If he wouldn't have gotten injured, he could have continued to fight and killed more orcs. Less of his comrades would have died if his arm wouldn't have been broken.

He felt sad and disappointed but only for a few moments. His mood lightened up as he saw the comforting smile on the human's lips. The presence of the legendary warrior Anduin Lothar and the fact that he was proud of him made all his doubts disappear. Kelrian was no longer disappointed in himself and he even stopped thinking about what he could have done better.

He no longer thought so negatively about himself but that didn't mean all his problems had vanished. He still mourned for the loss of his brother and not even the legendary warrior could help him forget what happened. Kelrian would need more time to come to terms with Seitor's death. It wouldn't be easy to accept his death but he had enough time to do that. He wouldn't be able to fight for at least two months and he wouldn't be able to help the Alliance in a different way with just one arm.

He would have to return to Silvermoon City and wait there until he would be able to move his arm properly again. At least he wouldn't be alone. Sylvanas would be there for him, support him and help him overcome his grief. There was also his family who would support him. His family who didn't know yet that Seitor was dead. He had no clue how he would tell his mother that she would never be able to see her oldest child again. She would be shattered and mourn for him but she had to know. She was his mother so she had every right to know what happened to her oldest son.

Kelrian would be there for her and comfort her as best as he could. The next few weeks wouldn't be easy for him and his family but there was nothing he could do to change how things were. His brother was dead and he and his family must accept it. It wouldn't be easy to move on but they had to come to terms with his death and keep going.

They had to look forward and find out what was awaiting them in the future instead of clinging to the past. They had to let go one day, otherwise, they would never be able to be happy was cruel but there was nothing they could do to change that. All they could do was to accept how things were and move on.

Kelrian exhaled loudly and began to speak after he had been silent for nearly half an hour. "I want to see the corpse of my brother. If it still exists."

Anduin's eyes reflected worry. "Are you sure, boy?"

Kelrian didn't hesitate to give the old warrior a nod. "I am," he said and turned his head to look at Sydori. "Are you coming with me?" he asked as he offered her his hand.

Sydori was silent for a few moments, making a thoughtful face. She didn't give him a verbal response but she nodded at him, signalizing him that she also wanted to see Seitor's corpse.

Kelrian turned his head to the other side and looked at his best friend. "I'll come with you," said Zetai. Kelrian turned around and gave Anduin an expecting look.

A quiet sigh escaped the warrior's lips. "If it is your wish, then I will not stop you. Follow me. I will bring you to the hall where the dead are brought."

Kelrian waited until Sydori had taken his hand, then they followed Anduin and Zetai out of the room.


	51. Painful Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like the last one, this chapter will be very emotional, but the next chapters will be more cheerful. Promised.

Kelrian had his eyes closed, ran his thumb and index finger over them and exhaled slowly and loudly. He kept his eyes closed as numerous thoughts crossed his mind. Thoughts about his brother, his family and Sylvanas. He couldn't stop thinking about his brother who died recently. He died a hero's death and gave his life for the safety of the citizens of Lordaeron. But not only for them. He also fought for all the other kingdoms of the Alliance. He had fought until his last breath, killed many orcs and saved the lives of numerous wounded soldiers. He was a true hero. A hero who died with all the other fallen heroes to save others.

Kelrian opened his eyes and stared at the corpse which laid on the table in front of him. His skin tingled nervously, his body felt cold but his heart was beating rapidly in his chest. He felt sick. Seeing the corpse of his brother made him sick and sad. He had never wanted Seitor's death, even though he hadn't got along with him for almost two decades. He had still considered him as his brother even though he had hated him for quite some time.

Kelrian had loved him no matter how he had behaved. But Seitor had changed and become a better person since he had stopped listening to their father's lies. They would have become close again if the war wouldn't have happened.

The war had prevented that Kelrian and Seitor would have rekindled their war took his brother and shattered his heart at the same time. But not only his. Sydori, who had had a close bond to her older brother, was also affected by his death. Her heart had been broken as well. Like her brother, she couldn't believe that Seitor was dead.

She couldn't believe he had been taken away from her and her family. She couldn't stop imagining the best moments they had shared. She couldn't stop herself from crying. She wanted to look away, wanted to stop regarding her brother's dead body but she was unable to avert her gaze. She couldn't take her eyes off nor was she able to close them. She could only stand there and regard him.

Kelrian felt his sister cling to his arm. She was clinging to him and holding his hand. He didn't say anything, he just allowed it to happen. He just wanted to comfort his sister even if he had no clue how he should do that. He had helped Sylvanas to overcome the death of her brother. He had known what to do back then and acted without thinking about what he was doing. He had just acted and comforted Sylvanas.

He had hoped he could do the same with Sydori but for some reason, he had no clue what to do. His mind was blank and his body felt stiff. He was still too shocked by his brother's death. He was too shocked to be able to do anything. He could only stand there and stare at his dead brother while his sister clung to him and cried on his shoulder. Zetai was standing not far away from them but he didn't say anything. He just stared at the corpse.

Kelrian regarded the body from head to toe for the hundredth time since he had caught sight of it. The body was very pale, the upper body was exposed so the deep yawning wound in his torso could be seen. Kelrian was not an expert at examining corpses. He was not good at establishing the reasons for certain wounds but he had seen enough corpses and wounds to know that the yawning wound had been caused by a weapon with a huge blade. Zetai had already told Kelrian that Seitor had been hit by a battle axe, so he assumed that the axe must have been very large.

He was sure the axe had been pulled out forcefully and his brother had received a few elbow thrusts in the face. His nose was broken so was his jaw. The orc had demolished his face before she had hit him again with her axe and had cut a deep wound in his left hip. Kelrian could only imagine that Seitor's death had been slow and painful. His left forearm was missing and the other was broken so he had not been able to heal himself. He had saved others from death but he hadn't been able to save himself. That was pure irony.

Life was an irony sometimes. Life was not always fair, it was cruel very often. People die for no reasons. Innocent people like Lirath Windrunner. He had done nothing wrong. He didn't participate in the war but he died nevertheless.

Sometimes Kelrian asked himself how the titans could allow that innocents died for no reason. How could the titans allow that their creations would fight against each other for power, resources and territories? It felt for him as if the titans had abandoned their creation. He saw no reason why the titans would tolerate what was happening on Azeroth.

But he was just a mortal so he couldn't understand what the titans were doing and what was going on in their heads. There were other worlds in the universe so he could only assume that they were too busy with other things, so they had no time to deal with the situation on Azeroth.

The titans wouldn't help them so the Alliance had to win the war alone. They had won the battle of Lordaeron and weakened the Horde by a lot. Things were looking good for the Alliance. They had more warriors left than the Horde so it was not unlikely that they would defeat them in the next battle. The Horde would return to Blackrock Spire and the Alliance would follow them and attack them.

The victory was not guaranteed but things looked good for the Alliance. They had more men and their morale had been boosted because of the recent victory while the morale of the orcs had been fighting spirit of the Horde still existed but this victory had made Alliance hungrier than ever for blood and justice. The soldiers wanted to avenge their fallen comrades, friends, family members and loved ones. They wanted to defeat the orcs and make them pay for everything they did. They wanted to end the Horde invasion once and for all. They wouldn't stop until the last orc had been killed or imprisoned.

There was no way to ever make peace with them, not after everything they had done. Their Warchief would never surrender so another battle was unavoidable.

Kelrian regarded his dead brother for a few moments, then he walked over to the head of the table and lowered his head, putting a kiss on his brother's cold forehead. He looked at Seitor for the last time before he turned around to look at his sister.

"We should bring his corpse to Silvermoon and burn his body as soon as the war is over."

Sydori didn't respond verbally but she nodded her head instead. Kelrian regarded her from head to toe. Her blonde hair was messy, her skin still dirty because she hadn't been able to take a bath since the end of the battle. She was smelling badly so were Kelrian and Zetai. All of them needed some rest and a hot bath.

"I wonder how long we will stay in Lordaeron before we return to Silvermoon," said Zetai.

Kelrian turned his head to look at Zetai, noticing that he looked pretty tired.

"A few days maybe. I think they'll give us one or two days off to get some rest. Then we will see what else we have to do before we are allowed to return to Silvermoon. Maybe we will help cleaning the mess and repair what has been damaged or destroyed," Kelrian responded.

"I hope we will return as soon as possible. I don't really like being around humans longer than necessary. They are so arrogant and think they are better than think they are stronger and more important than us only because they have more soldiers than us," replied Zetai.

"I haven't talked with many humans yet but I didn't get the impression that they think they are better than us. They were very friendly to me and didn't look at me the way you look at them most of the time."

Zetai was silent for a few moments. "Maybe I just encountered the wrong humans. Who knows?"

"Maybe," Kelrian repeated quietly. "Anyways, we should leave the hall and find rooms where we can rest."

Sydori and Zetai nodded to him. Kelrian regarded the corpses on the nearest tables for a few moments before he walked to the exit and left the hall with his sister and his best friend.

* * *

Kelrian regarded the house in front of them for a few moments before he opened the garden gate and allowed Sydori to walk through it. He followed her and closed the gate behind him. They reached the door of Varo's house but they didn't knock. Kelrian turned his head to look at his smaller sister. "Are you okay?"

She gave him a nod and a sad smile. "I am. We have to tell mom what happened. She deserves to know the truth even though it will break her heart."

Sadness was also reflected by Kelrian's eyes. "You are right. She deserves to know the truth and we will do our best to comfort her. We have to break it gently to her and our siblings."

"Do you think we should tell mom first and then our siblings? Or should we speak to all three of them at the same time?" his sister asked.

A frown appeared on Kelrian's forehead as he thought about what his sister had just said. He was not sure if he could explain a second time, on the same day, that his brother fell in battle. It wouldn't be easy for him to break it gently to his mother because thinking and speaking about his brother made him very emotional. He still hadn't come to terms with Seitor's death and speaking about it two times wouldn't make it easier.

"I think it's the best that we tell all of them at the same time and not first to our mother and then to Cincia and Sindor. I don't think I can keep my composure if I have to talk about it a second time," he explained. His voice was low.

Sydori gave him a small nod. "I think it's better that way. I'm glad that you are telling them the bad news. I don't think I'm able to break it gently to them without breaking out in tears. They wouldn't be able to understand anything if I break out in tears in front of their eyes and start to stutter."

Kelrian gave her a sad smile. "Don't worry, I will handle this."

Sydori patted his shoulder. "Are you ready?"

"I am."

Sydori didn't say anything in return. She just knocked at the door and waited until someone would open the door. A woman with silver coloured hair opened the door. She was one of Varo's daughters. The woman in front of them was either Sinyelle or Tenjena. It was impossible for Kelrian to determine who she was because she looked exactly like her twin sister. They had the same hairstyle and the same face.

Kelrian greeted her so did Sydori. "You must be Kelrian if I remember correctly," said the woman with the silver-coloured hair."

"I am."

The woman turned her head and looked at Sydori, giving her a small smile. "And who are you?"

"I'm Kelrian's sister Sydori."

The woman's gaze shifted to Kelrian and then back to Sydori. "You two don't look alike," she commented.

"I know," responded Sydori. "Lots of people say that but that doesn't change the fact that we have the same parents."

The woman smirked and looked at Sydori. "I'm Sinyelle, it's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too," responded the blonde woman.

"Can we come in?" Kelrian asked as he looked at Sinyelle whose gaze still rested on his sister.

"Sure," she said in return and opened the door entirely, stepping away so the Sunsinger siblings could enter the house. They removed their shoes and put them in front of the shoe cupboard, then they followed the beautiful silver-haired woman. Sinyelle brought them to the living room where Varo and Liana were sitting next to each other on the sofa. Cincia was sitting not far away from them and was reading a book while Seitor was sitting at the table opposite to Tenjena and was talking to her.

Liana turned her head and got up as soon as she noticed the arrival of her children. She regarded them from head to toe as she came closer, her eyes widened and her face reflected worry as she saw the plaster cast. She was also surprised to see Sydori at Kelrian's side.

"You are injured," she said as she stopped in front of him.

"It's nothing, really."

His mother raised an eyebrow. "Nothing?"

Kelrian swallowed. **"** Well...It could have been worse, to be honest."

"What happened?"

"An orc grabbed me and lifted me in the air. He tried to strangle me so I fought back, then he broke my arm. Fortunately, I got free because of the help of others and the orc was killed," explained the ranger.

"Are you okay?"

"I am."

Liana turned her head. "And you?" she asked her oldest daughter.

Sydori was silent for a few moments but then she gave her mother an answer. "I'm not sure, to be honest. A lot has happened and... I don't know how to describe it. I feel...It's hard to explain it properly... Mostly I feel...Shattered..."

Liana's eyebrows furrowed. Her voice sounded confused. "Shattered?"

Kelrian cleared his throat, causing that his mother's attention fell on him. "There is something we have to tell you, Cincia and Sindor." He looked at Varo who signalized him that he understood what he wanted. He gave his daughters a signal and left the room with them. Kelrian waited until they had closed the door, then he looked at his younger siblings whose facial expressions reflected worry.

He looked back at his mother whose eyes were widened. He assumed that she had a premonition of what he wanted to say but she was hoping it wouldn't be true. Of course, she was hoping that. She was Seitor's mother so she only wanted the best for him. She would never want that something would happen to him. No mother would ever want that something would happen to their children.

Kelrian didn't say anything because he was not sure how to approach this difficult topic. He had thought about how to tell his mother about Seitor's death since he had heard of it. He had thought about many different ways of telling her but he hadn't found the perfect way to break it gently to her. He had realized that there was no way to tell her without making her break out in tears.

He wished things were different. He wished his brother was still alive so he wouldn't have to break his mother's heart by telling her the truth. The reality was cruel. His brother was dead and his mother wouldn't be happy about it. It was his task to break it as gently as possible to her and comfort her then. He wouldn't be able to hug her tightly with his broken arm but Sydori could do that. And she would do that for him, he was sure of that.

Kelrian took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a few moments and opened them again. He didn't feel ready to tell his family the bad news and he was sure he would never be ready. But he had to tell them because they deserved to know the truth.

"You know that war always takes many lives. Lives to which it has no claim. Wars are cruel so is life... There is no guarantee that everyone returns home. I think we are all aware of that..." Kelrian could see in his mother's eyes that she was almost certain that her assumption was right. She knew he would tell her that Seitor didn't make it. She knew that but she didn't want to believe it. She didn't want it to be true. Her worst fear had turned out to be true.

She had always been afraid of losing one of her children during the war. She had always prayed to the Sunwell that all of her children would return to her alive and in one piece. Her prayers hadn't been answered. Seitor was dead, she was sure of that. Kelrian wouldn't look so sad and he wouldn't be so nervous if Seitor would still be alive. She could read Kelrian's face like an open book. He was mourning for someone he had recently lost and it was very likely that this person was his brother.

Kelrian saw the tears in his mother's eyes but he averted his gaze because he could no longer look at her. It was so hard for him to not get emotional and break out in tears while he was looking into her shocked face. He felt bad, he was grieving because he hadn't come to terms with Seitor's death yet. But he had to be strong and tell his mother what had happened. He had to be there for her, support and comfort her as best as he could.

"I guess you already know what I'm trying to say," Kelrian said and looked at his younger siblings, noticing that they also had an assumption what he was trying to say. Their eyes were widened and tense expressions could be seen on their faces. There were no tears in their eyes but they looked anything but happy. They were afraid of what Kelrian was about to say.

They had every reason to because Kelrian's face reflected sadness so did Sydori's. It was clearly visible that it was not easy for the ranger to say what must be said. He took another deep breath, lifted his gaze and stared into his mother's grey-blue eyes.

"Many people lost their lives during the battle. People I knew but also people I never met before. Everyone gave their best to fight off the warriors of the Horde. We killed many but also lost many soldiers. Seitor dragged me away when the orc broke my arm. He told me to hide in a wardrobe and wait until the end of the battle. If it wasn't for him, I probably would have died. Then Seitor returned to battle to help the others." Kelrian made a pause, taking a deep breath.

He still stared into his mother's eyes which were still widened. Tears formed in her eyes and the expression on her face told him that she knew what he would say next. She knew that Kelrian would tell her that her oldest son was dead. She knew it but she didn't want it to be true.

"Seitor... He...," Kelrian lowered his gaze and stared at his fingers. He noticed that tears ran down his cheeks and his bottom lip quivered. His voice sounded thin and was unable to stare in his mother's eyes much longer so he stared at his fingers as he finally said what had to be said. "He didn't make it..."

Silence.

The truth was finally spoken out.

Silence.

He had finally said the truth but he didn't feel any better.

There was still silence. Nobody said a single word or made a noise. The room was dead silent but not for too long. The first noises which could be heard were quiet sobs. Kelrian didn't need to look up to know who was sobbing. It was his mother who was shocked even though she had already known it before Kelrian had told her. Her reaction was only natural.

Her oldest son was dead and she had every reason to cry. Her beloved oldest son had been taken away from her. She would never see him again and never be able to talk to him, interact with him and spend time with him. He was gone and there was nothing she could do to bring him back. There was only one thing she could do. She could only accept his death because she couldn't change the past. But accepting his death wouldn't be easy. Coping with the death of a familiar person was never easy. Coping with the death of a family member was even harder.

Kelrian knew the next few weeks wouldn't be easy for her. She will be an emotional mess and cry a lot. She would mourn for her son and feel nothing but grief. Her heart would be shattered and she would need a lot of time to collect all its fragments and put them back together. At least she was not alone. There were enough persons who would try to comfort her. The company of another person would make accepting her son's death much easier. She wouldn't feel lonely and could seek comfort in the arms of her children or in the arms of her childhood friend Varo.

Kelrian knew she will need all of her children more than ever within the next few weeks. She will need them so badly and they will be there for her. Kelrian had sworn he wouldn't leave her until she would feel better and he knew that Sydori had sworn the same. Together they had sworn to keep their mother company and comfort her as best as they could. Kelrian always kept his promises and he was sure Sydori would also keep hers.

They only wanted the best for their mother so they would stay with her as long as she would need them. They wouldn't leave her before they weren't sure she would be okay. They would be there for her, no matter what would happen.

Kelrian looked up eventually, spotting the tears which ran down his mother's cheeks. Her face was pale, her eyes still widened and her bottom lip trembled. He wished he could pull her in a tight hug but he wouldn't be able to do that with his broken arm. Fortunately, Sydori was there and did that for him. She wrapped her arms around their mother's upper body and spoke comforting words in her ear. Kelrian was sure that Sydori would give her best to comfort their mother.

He turned around and walked towards his younger siblings. They were in shock. They didn't cry, they just stood there and stared at random spots in the room. Their faces were also pale and their eyes were widened. It was unmistakable that they couldn't believe what Kelrian had told them. They didn't want to believe it. They wished their brother would still be alive but the sad truth was that he was no longer alive. He was dead and he would never come back.

Kelrian didn't say anything to them because he had noticed that they were lost in thoughts. They wouldn't hear what he would say to them so he remained silent and regarded them for a while. He noticed that the sobs and cries of his mother became quieter after a while but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop crying no matter how hard she tried. Sydori gave her best to comfort her and make her stop crying but she was not successful. At least she was able to convince her mother to go to her room and rest.

Sydori glanced at Kelrian but didn't say anything before she left. Kelrian had returned the gaze but hadn't said anything either. He had watched them leaving and stared at the door for a while. He turned his head eventually and looked back at his siblings who were anything but happy.

Cincia sat on a chair, her upper body was bent forward and she buried her face in the palms of her hands. She was sobbing quietly. Sindor was still standing on the same spot and stared at his feet, not saying anything. Kelrian approached his sister and squatted next to her. He put his hand on her back and caressed it gently. He spoke soothing words to her but they didn't seem to have an effect on her. The younger elf was still sobbing and didn't seem to stop any soon. Kelrian remained patient and waited, not leaving her side.

After a while, Sindor started to walk towards the door without saying a word. Kelrian looked up at him as he did that but he didn't stop him. He was sure Sindor wanted to be alone and assimilate what he had told him. He understood that he needed some space, so he didn't do anything and just watched him leave.

Kelrian still tried to comfort his younger sister but she didn't stop sobbing. That was only natural. He didn't expect that she would stop sobbing any soon. She needed time. Lots of time but he will be there for her and do everything in his power to make her feel better.

He was not sure if she wanted to be alone or if she wanted him around her. As long as she wouldn't say anything, he would remain next to her and caress her back, reminding her that she was not alone. He told her that it was okay to cry and that she should let it all out. And she did that. She cried for hours but he didn't leave her side. He didn't leave her even when he became tired nor did he leave her side when Varo came to them after a while and told him about his mother's condition. Kelrian just gave him a nod and remained silent.

Sydori came to him after some time, telling Kelrian that their mother had fallen asleep. She squatted down and talked to her sister, offering her to bring her to her room. Cincia was silent for a while but then she told her older sister that she wanted to go with her. Sydori's gaze rested on her brother as she guided Cincia out of the room. Kelrian regarded them as long as they were in his sight.

He turned his gaze and looked at the silver-haired man whose face reflected worry. "I should go to my brother," Kelrian said more to himself than to his mother's friend.

Varo nodded. "You should do that."

Kelrian didn't say anything in return. He just got up and left the living room as fast as possible, walking towards his brother's room.


	52. Drifting In the Water

_About a week ago_

Sylvanas had her eyes closed, she didn't breathe and she didn't move. She did nothing except for letting herself drift and enjoying the warm water which surrounded her body. Her mouth was closed and her lips were pressed together to a thin line so no water could come in her mouth. She was surrounded by water and she enjoyed it. She felt free while she drifted in the water. There was nothing which could stop her. She was alone so nobody could disturb her.

The water had a comforting effect on her. It helped her to forget everything that was troubling her. She didn't need to think about the outcome of the battle and the well-being of the love of her life. She didn't need to be afraid that something bad would happen to Kelrian as long as she was in the water.

She was worried most of the time and couldn't stop thinking about him. She couldn't stop imagining the worst possible outcomes. She often imagined losing him. Too often. These thoughts pained her. She felt her heart aching whenever she had these thoughts but she couldn't do anything against it. Her hormones were responsible for that. They were driving her crazy from time to time.

Sometimes, she had the impression she was on a roller coaster. Sometimes felt happier than ever and sometimes everything went down and she had depressions and panic attacks. Ups and downs alternated frequently. The medicine her private doctor had given her didn't always help her. Sometimes it helped her and made her feel better but sometimes it had no effect on her or made things even worse. She had never expected that she would feel like this during pregnancy. Alleria had never told her that her mood swings had been so extreme. She had had ups and downs but they had never degenerated like this. Alleria didn't have the problems Sylvanas was currently having.

Even Sylvanas' doctor had no clue what was going on. He had checked her if she was cursed or affected by any spell but he had found nothing. She was fine. She was perfectly healthy and not cursed. Nevertheless, her mood swings were extreme. Her depressions had never been too bad, so she had never thought about harming herself or other extreme things. She had just imagined what would happen if Kelrian wouldn't return from Lordaeron. She had often imagined hearing about his death or seeing his corpse. She had imagined a life without him. She had imagined being a single mother who had to raise her child alone.

These thoughts usually plagued her. She had ended up crying whenever such a nightmare or bad daydream had plagued her. These symptoms had come out of nowhere when Kelrian returned to Lordaeron. At first, she had had them only once a day or night. But after she had heard of the begin of the siege, the nightmares and depressing thoughts had appeared more often.

During the first week, these thoughts had plagued her at least three times a day and four times at night. It had been very difficult at the beginning but it had become better over time. If the medicine worked, she had no nightmares or bad daydreams but if it didn't work then she had at least one nightmare and one bad daydream a day.

Daily life was not easy for Sylvanas but she held out under the stress. She was a strong woman who wouldn't break down because of negative thoughts and nightmares. She was strong and she knew that. She was a strong-willed woman. She just had to endure less than five months until the baby's birth. These five months will be the longest and hardest months of her life but she had no doubt she would hold out until the birth.

Sylvanas let herself drift by the water until her lungs asked for air. She moved her limbs and swam up until she broke the surface. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. She looked around, noticing that she was still alone in the indoor swimming pool. She didn't expect that anyone would be there because it was her private indoor swimming pool in her private apartment in Silvermoon City.

Her family and Verena's family were the only ones who lived in this house. They were allowed to go in every room except for her bedroom, her office and her pool while she was swimming there to relax and stop thinking about everything that was troubling her.

Her mother was the only person who disobeyed her rules from time to time. She didn't do that on purpose, she was just not used to living in a household where she was not the one who made the rules. She was the head of the Windrunner family so she was usually the one who scolded others for not obeying the rules she made. But Sylvanas wasn't mad at her mother that she forgot the rules from time to time. She was glad she had her mother around her. She was glad that she was able to spend time with her and talk to her whenever she wanted. Lireesa gave her daughter strength and comforted her as best as she could whenever she had a nightmare.

Sylvanas' daily life would be much harder without her. Alleria was fighting against the Horde in Lordaeron and Vereesa and Verena were leading the quel'dorei army to Lordaeron to assist the humans. Except for a few uncles, aunts and cousins who weren't fighters every other remaining member of her family participated in the war. Sylvanas spent most of her time with her mother and talked to her. She also spent time with Verena's sister and talked to her about her children. She asked questions about her pregnancy and the experiences she got from raising her young children. Sylvanas received useful information, she would need for later, without making her suspicious.

She was looking forward to becoming a mother so it didn't hurt to hear how others remembered their pregnancy. She had listened to Lelina's stories and become friends with her. She hadn't met her very often in the past, not even when she had been together with Verena. She had met her twenty times at maximum, even though she knew Verena since she was little. Lelina hadn't been at home most of the time whenever Sylvanas had visited Verena. They didn't spend much time with each other and they had only talked to each other whenever Verena had convinced her sister to do something with them.

Sylvanas and Lelina had never been alone before. That had changed three months ago when Lelina, her twins and her husband had moved in Sylvanas' house. They would live there until the end of the war so Sylvanas had enough time to get better known to the mother and get more tips from her.

Sylvanas had noticed that she really enjoyed being around young children. Lelina's twins had always been around whenever Sylvanas had spent time with her. Lelina was a very nice and funny person and she didn't even ask the true reason why Sylvanas remained in Silvermoon. She knew that Sylvanas was not sick and she also knew that she was not a coward. She knew she would fight until her last breath so she assumed that there must be a very important reason why she didn't join the army on the battlefield. She was curious but she respected the Ranger-General's privacy so she didn't dare to ask.

Sylvanas was glad that she had found another friend who could help her once the baby will be born. Her mother and Alleria would be the first persons she would ask for help if she would have a problem, but even they wouldn't always have time. She could ask Lelina if her family would be busy with other things. It didn't hurt to have a third opinion she could listen to when she had questions about raising her child.

Normally, she always asked Verena if she needed advices but Verena had no clue about kids so she wouldn't be useful at all when Sylvanas would have a problem. Verena only preferred the company of women but that didn't mean she couldn't have children. There were enough ways for two women to get a child. Adoption was an option but also the artificial insemination with the help of magic.

Verena could have kids one day but she was not the type of woman who wanted children. She wanted to be independent and have fun. She didn't want to have children any soon but it was not unlikely that she would change her opinion one day. Maybe Elonis would change her mind. As far as Sylvanas knew, Elonis wanted to have children one day. Sylvanas wouldn't mind if Verena would choose a life without children. She was happy as long as her best friend was happy. If she would be happy without children then Sylvanas wouldn't try to convince her of the opposite. Verena was old enough to make her own decisions.

Sylvanas swam another round in the large pool. She had never been a big fan of swimming in her free time but since she had noticed it helped her switch off and get her head clear she swam at least three times a day. She swam more rounds, listening to the sounds which were produced when she rushed through her water. Because of her muscular arms and legs, she was pretty fast. She was much faster than the average elf, she would even compete with professional swimmers.

Sylvanas didn't notice the person who had just entered the room as she swam another round. She didn't even notice the familiar person as it came closer. She only noticed the person as she swam along the edge of the pool and saw a pair of feet next to one of the ladders. Sylvanas stopped and looked up. Her gaze wandered over smooth legs which had once been a lot more muscular. The person was definitely a woman because she wore a blue swimming brief only women wore.

Sylvanas' gaze travelled further upwards until it landed on a familiar scar. The scar reached from a spot beneath the woman's right breast to her navel. She knew that scar like the back of her had been the one who had stitched the wound and checked the scar from time to time for the first few months.

She had no doubt that it was her mother who stood there. Sylvanas' gaze wandered upwards, resting on the woman's ample bosom which was covered by a blue bra for a short moment before it wandered up to her face. Her mother stood there witha swimming mat under her arm.

She lifted her left arm a little, waving at her daughter. "Hi, Sylvanas."

Sylvanas' brows furrowed as she scratched her forehead while looking at her mother. "Hi, mom."

Lireesa's lips formed a smile. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

"Of course I am happy to see you but I thought I would see you later after I'm done swimming. I just hoped you haven't forgotten that I prefer to be alone while I'm here this time."

Lireesa sat down on the edge of the pool, putting her legs in the pleasantly warm water. "I know that you want to be alone but I don't want to leave you alone while you have these nightmares and phases of depressions. I want to be around you and comfort you when sadness overcomes you. I don't want you to be sad, my dear." She put her hands on her daughter's cheeks and caressed them softly. She leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on Sylvanas' forehead, closing her eyes as long as her lips on remained her soft skin. She pulled away eventually and gave Sylvanas a small smile.

The Ranger-General couldn't help but return the smile. She just couldn't be mad at her mother even though she broke her rules from time to time. Her mother just wanted the best for her, so Sylvanas wouldn't be mad at her and wouldn't talk to her about privacy and crossing lines. She had swum enough for the moment so she didn't mind her mother's company. She just wished she would wear more than just her bikini. That way her mother would find out that she was pregnant. She had wanted to tell her mother that she was pregnant for so long but she had never found the right words and the perfect moment to tell her.

Sylvanas got the idea that it might be better when Lireesa would find it out that way. Sylvanas wouldn't have to rack her brain over how she would tell her. Sometimes being silent was better than saying thousands of words. Sylvanas couldn't just walk to her mother and drop her clothes in front of her to show her that she was pregnant. But now where her belly was exposed, she could just climb out of the water and present her mother her swollen belly. It sounded so easy because it was so easy. There was no easier way of telling her mother the good news than showing her what was awaiting her in less than five months.

Lireesa noticed the thoughtful look on Sylvanas' face. She was wondering what was going on in her daughter's head. She assumed Sylvanas was worried because of the ongoing battle. She had every reason to be worried because the orc army was gigantic and consist out of the most fearsome and physically strongest humanoid creatures the Alliance had ever fought against. Nevertheless, Lireesa believed the Alliance will be victorious and she was sure Sylvanas believed the same.

The former Ranger-General didn't stop to caress her successor's cheeks while she stared deep into her eyes. Sylvanas returned her gaze and enjoyed her presence. Her mother's presence always comforted her no matter how bad she felt.

"Is there anything you want to tell me, my dear?" Lireesa asked.

Sylvanas nodded her head. "There is something I'm trying to tell you for a few weeks butI still don't know how to tell you."

Lireesa raised an eyebrow and made a surprised expression. "You're usually so direct. How comes that you don't know how to tell me this time?"

"I'm only direct when it comes to work and the safety of our kingdom and our people. You know better than anyone that I'm not direct when it comes to family. I'm just a mortal so I'm not perfect. There are some things that are not so easy for me. Telling you such important news is harder than I ever thought."

Lireesa gave her an understanding nod and put a strand of blonde hair behind Sylvanas' ear. "You don't have to be worried, Lady Moon. No matter what you will say, I will always support you and never be mad at you. Tell me what bothers you. You don't have to if you don't feel ready yet. I don't mind waiting a little longer."

Sylvanas was silent as she thought about her mother's words. She wanted to tell her mother that she was pregnant. She was sure her mother would be happy and wouldn't mind that her child would be illegitimate. She was sure her mother will be happy because she was happy. That was all that mattered for her mother. Only the happiness of her children was important for the former Ranger-General. She was happy as long as her children were happy.

Sylvanas nodded her head eventually and waited until Lireesa had removed her hands from her cheeks. Sylvanas got out of the water and sat on the edge of the pool, increasing the distance between them so Lireesa could have a better look at her. The older woman gave her a curious look at first but then her facial expression changed as her eyes fell on the swollen belly of her pregnant daughter.

Her eyes widened, her heart started to beat faster and her skin began to tingle. She had realised what Sylvanas had wanted to tell her. It was so obvious that Sylvanas was pregnant. Her belly was much rounder and her breasts had become larger. Lireesa was sure of that after she had taken a closer look at Sylvanas' body

Lireesa's smile was wide and her first move was to put her left hand on her daughter's belly and start to caress it slowly and gently. She didn't say anything in the first few minutes, she just stared into Sylvanas' beautiful eyes while she caressed her belly. She removed her hand eventually and wrapped her arms around Sylvanas' shoulders, pulling her closer. Sylvanas didn't hesitate to return the hug, putting her head on her mother's shoulder. She closed her eyes and inhaled her mother's perfume, caressing her back with one hand while the other rested on her hip.

They remained close for a few minutes, then they pulled away and looked at each other. "That's fantastic, Sylvanas. I'm really happy to hear that."

Sylvanas smiled. I'm glad that you are happy."

Lireesa returned her smile, running her fingers through Sylvanas' wet hair. "Why shouldn't I be happy? My middle daughter is pregnant with her first child and I'm becoming a grandmother for the second time. I have every reason to be happy."

Sylvanas put a hand on her mother's cheek, caressing it softly. "To be honest, I was a little bit afraid of how you might react," admitted the Ranger-General.

Lireesa raised an eyebrow but her smile and the happy expression didn't leave her face. "You were afraid of how I might react? Why?"

Sylvanas avoided eye contact and stared at her fingernails. "Well, I feared you wouldn't accept my baby because I'm not married."

Lireesa took her daughter's face in her hands and caressed her cheeks. "I don't really care if it's an illegitimate child. Of course, I would wish that you would get married one day but you don't have to just because I want you to be married. What matters is that you want it and that you are happy. I'm happy as long as you are. Don't forget that, Lady Moon."

Sylvanas pulled her in another comfortable hug, resting her head on Lireesa's shoulder. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the close body contact. Her mother ran her fingers through her hair which was drying slowly. They stay like this for a while, pulling back eventually.

"Was it planned?" Lireesa asked.

Sylvanas shook her head, suppressing a grin. "No, it wasn't." She told her that she didn't find her tin of pills in her bag that day and what she had done then.

"The chances were so low but you still got pregnant. That's not a coincidence, that's fate."

Soft laughter escaped Sylvanas' lips. "Fate? Are you sure?"

"I don't believe in coincidences but I believe in fate," responded Lireesa.

"I don't believe in coincidences nor do I believe in fate. Everything I did happened that way because I chose to do it that way. There is no invisible force or creature that watches over me and tells me what to do. I don't believe in fate, or destiny however you want to call it. I don't believe that anyone chose my destiny for me and determined what I would do. I choose my own destiny."

"I get your point, honey. But how would you explain that you got pregnant while taking the pill? It has to the destiny that wanted that you become pregnant. Otherwise, you wouldn't have become pregnant while taking the pill."

"I know the chances that the pill doesn't work are pretty low. The chances are low but it still happened somehow. I still doubt that it was the destiny that decided that I would get pregnant. Anyways, let's stop discussing that. There are other topics which are more important than this one."

"You are right, honey. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry, mother."

"I'm curious to find out who made my beautiful girl into an expectant mother."

Sylvanas tilted her head a little. "There is only one man that comes into question."

"It's not Nathanos, right?!" Her reply sounded more like a question than a statement.

Sylvanas frowned. She sounded upset as she gave her mother a respond. "Of course not! Why does everyone think I have an affair with Nathanos? It's true that he is attracted to me but I'm not attracted to him. Human males are not my type and Nathanos is certainly not my type. Even if he would be, I'm in a happy relationship with Kelrian and I would never cheat on him. Certainly not with Nathanos. We are just friends."

Lireesa lifted her hands, signalizing her daughter that she was sorry. She apologized to her and managed to calm her down, pulling her onto her lap once Sylvanas' face no longer reflected annoyance. "I'm sorry, my dear," her mother repeated, kissing Sylvanas' right ear softly. She knew this always calmed Sylvanas down so it didn't surprise her that she was no longer upset at her as she pulled away.

"It's okay," whispered the pregnant woman. "I've overreacted. It's just..."

"The hormones are responsible, I know. I've been pregnant four times so I know exactly how you feel. Your rapidly changing moods are giving you a hard time. I remember pretty well that only a few small matters could change my mood entirely. Unfortunately, mood swings are very common during pregnancy," explained her mother.

"It's annoying but there is nothing I can do against it. It's pretty hard to control my emotions. Sometimes I'm very happy, sometimes I'm capricious and sometimes I feel sad. These mood swings don't make things easy for me but I have to deal with them somehow."

Lireesa nodded at her but didn't say anything in return. Instead, she signalized her daughter to continue speaking. "I just don't like it when my closest friends and my family think I have something with Nathanos. Everyone who knows me should know that I would never cheat on my partners."

"I believe that my dear."

"Kelrian even told me that he wouldn't mind if I would _have_ _my fun_ with Verena from time to time."

Lireesa's face reflected surprise. Her brows were raised and her eyes were widened. "Did he tell you on his own?"

Sylvanas nodded her head, her face reflected seriousness. "He told me that he would be fine with it as long he could watch us for one time at least. I don't remember anymore why he had told me that. I just remember that he gave me permission to have an affair with my ex-girlfriend. I haven't asked him why he made this offer. I assume he thinks I could be happier this way. But I'm already happy. There is no way that I could get any happier. Especially not since I found out that I'm pregnant with his child."

"So, you turned down his offer?"

The younger woman nodded her head. "I did. I know he wouldn't mind to share me with Verena and I also know it would make her very happy but... I don't know. I don't think I would feel comfortable. It's not that I don't have feelings for Verena, it's more that I'm not made for open relationships or triangle relationships. I just want a normal relationship with the man I love with all my heart. He may be fine now but who knows how he would think in ten years. Or twenty. Or in a hundred years. I think it's best for our relationship if we don't extend it to a triangle relationship."

"I understand you, my dear. I understand your worries. I can tell you from first-hand experience that triangle relationships are like a double-edged sword. They are fine as long as everyone is happy but as soon as someone feels neglected the relationship starts to crumble and shatters in the worst case."

Sylvanas' face reflected surprise but also curiosity. "You were in a triangle relationship?"

Lireesa gave her a nod. "I was. Your father and I met a woman shortly after we came together. Her name was Veniana and she was a very charming and beautiful woman. I fell in love with her so did he and we decided to include her in our relationship. It went well for the first five years but then Veniana and your father started to have differences. She wanted me for herself and didn't want to share me with Zalien,"Lireesa paused for a few moments, ordering her thoughts.

"Our harmonic triangle relationship broke quickly and we just argued most of the time. I tried to solve the problems and make them reconcile with each other but Veniana refused to cooperate. I couldn't take it any longer so I talked to her alone and well... I broke up with her because it turned out she had changed too much. She wanted me only for herself and she became so jealous... I've realized that she would always be jealous even if I would choose her over Zalien. And I didn't want a girlfriend that would always be jealous of anyone who would come too close to me.

I broke up with her and chose your father. It hadn't been easy to let her go but it had been the right choice. I don't regret my decisions.I would have never had you and your siblings if I would have chosen her so I have nothing to regret. I'm happy with the way things turned out for me."

Lireesa caressed Sylvanas' cheeks and returned her staring, her happy smile didn't leave her lips nor did Sylvanas stop smiling at her. "After hearing your story, I'm more certain than ever that I don't want a triangle relationship," responded the Ranger-General.

"I think it's the best for you, Lady Moon. As long as Kelrian is at your side you will be happy enough. You will be busy enough as soon as the child will be born, so you won't have the time for another lover. I assume you still want to be Ranger-General and stand up for our people."

"I do. I have to talk to Kelrian who will stay home and take care of our baby until it will be old enough for elementary school but I'm one hundred percent sure I will still be Ranger-General. I'm not going to resign just because I have a kid. You also remained Ranger-General after giving birth to four children so I'm sure I can handle work and family at the same time. If we win the war."

Lireesa gave her daughter a comforting smile. "I think we will."

"I think the same but I'm still afraid. I believe in our soldiers but we don't know what the orcs are capable of. Who knows how many aces they have up in their sleeves?I don't count the chickens before they are hatched, I just hope for the best."

"So, do I," replied her mother and pulled her in another hug. Sylvanas returned the hug and relaxed in her arms.

"Does Kelrian know that you are pregnant?" Lireesa asked after a while.

"He does."

"What did he say?"

The corners of Sylvanas' lips formed a smile. "He was happy and he told me that he is looking forward to raising our child with me."

Lireesa returned her daughter's smile. "I'm glad then. I remember the day I told your father that I was pregnant with Alleria as if it had happened yesterday. He was so happy and he didn't stop talking how happy he was until I told him to be quiet. He was happy more than ever whenever I told him that I was pregnant. Zalien really loves you and he did everything to be the best father for you and your siblings."

"He is an excellent father and I believe Kelrian wouldn't be any different. He has a good way with people so I assume our baby will be happy to have him. He will be a great father."

"I haven't spent much time with Kelrian but from what I've experienced and from what you have told me about him I believe he is a good guy. Always remember that I'm happy as long as you are. I don't mind if your partner is a human, a dwarf or a quel'dorei. I don't mind if it is a male or a female. I'm happy as long as you are."

"And I'm glad to have such a lovely and tolerant mother. You are the best mother in the world."

Lireesa's happy smile became much wider. "Thank you, my dear."

"It's not a compliment. It's the truth so you don't have to thank me. I'm just speaking out the truth, that's all."

Lireesa caressed her daughter's cheeks. "You are so sweet."

"Just like you."

Lireesa lowered her gaze and put her hand on Sylvanas' belly, caressing it softly. "How long do we have to wait?"

"Less than five months."

"I'm so excited. My middle daughter is getting a baby. I can't be happier."

Sylvanas didn't say anything in response. She just regarded her mother who didn't stop to touch her belly. Spending time with her mother and other members of her family made her stop worrying about the outcome of the battle. It would only endure temporarily because Sylvanas would start worrying again as soon as she would be alone and not in the pool. Nevertheless, she was glad that she could turn off her thoughts and enjoy these rare moments.

"There is something I'm worried about," Sylvanas said eventually.

Lireesa lifted her head, signalizing her to go ahead.

"At first I'm worried that Kelrian would never return from Lordaeron but I'm also worried what happens if he returns. Well, not really worried, to be honest. I don't know how our future would look like. We kept our relationship secret because I always thought it is the best for him. That way he doesn't get unwanted attention and he wouldn't get targeted by my jealous exes and admirers. I don't want to cause any unnecessary trouble for him. I'm afraid that someone does something terrible to him..."

Lireesa was silent for a few moments as she thought about what Sylvanas had just said. She could understand that she was afraid but she was overreacting. It was true that she got many admirers and some of them weren't able to accept a no but she didn't believe that anyone would try to hurt Kelrian.

"I don't think that anyone would do anything to him. Nobody ever harmed Verena so I don't believe that your jealous exes and admirers would do something."

"Nobody knew about me and Verena," replied the Ranger-General.

"You never made your relationship official but everyone assumed that you two were a couple and no one ever harassed Verena or did inappropriate things. Nobody insulted her or made inappropriate comments or hints. You can call yourself lucky. Back then I was in a relationship with your father and Veniana I was insulted by some people. _'_ " _Women loving whore_ , _spawn of evil_ and _women-eating demon_ were the most harmless insults people threw at me. There have been many intolerant people during that time."

Sylvanas' eyes were widened in surprise as she looked at her mother in disbelief. "You never told me about that."

Lireesa shrugged her shoulders. "I saw no reason to. It happened hundreds of years ago and society changed over time. Most people are much more tolerant these days than hundreds of years ago. Nowadays our people accept when someone loves a human or a dwarf or someone of the same sex. I'm glad about that. People tolerate Alleria's relationship with Turalyon and they also tolerated your experimental phase."

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow. "Experimental phase?"

"How else would you call it? You told me that you tried something new and you really liked Verena so you came together with her to find out if things between you would work out in the long run."

Sylvanas shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't consider ten years as just a phase. If we would have been together for two or three months then phase would be the right word but ten years..."

"It doesn't really matter how we call it, does it?"

Sylvanas shook her head. "Not really, to be honest."

Her mother made a thoughtful face. "Now I forgot what I wanted to say in the first place."

"You talked about tolerance."

"Yeah, I did."

"So?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I wouldn't have loved you any less if you would have chosen to be together with Verena for the rest of our life. There are several methods for two women to get kids so I would have gotten more grandchildren sooner or later."

"So you would have expected that Verena and I would have made a child together?"

"Yes, Sylvanas. I know you love your position as Ranger-General and you love your work. You probably wouldn't have given birth to a child in the first hundred years because your work would have kept you too busy. You are still young so you have anything else in mind than getting a baby. But the older you get the stronger the desire for a child becomes. Trust me. I know it from experience. I never thought about children during the first two hundred years where I was together with your father. But then I came to the conclusion that I wanted to have a child and I don't regret making this decision. Destiny rewarded me with the most beautiful and most lovely children on Azeroth."

"I've never thought about a child with Verena and nor did I ever expected that Kelrian and I would get a child so soon. I had always thought that we would wait for at least fifty years but things turned out differently. Nevertheless, I like how things are now. I'm happy and I can't wait to give birth to my child."

"You will be an excellent mother, Sylvanas. You always think about the safety of our people first. You always put the interests of our people over yours. You care for our people so I believe you will be the best mother a child can have. You will take care of your child and make sure it lacks nothing. But always remember that you also have to be strict when it's necessary. Don't do the mistake and spoil your child and all the future children that might follow. Sometimes you have to make your children understand that they can't always do what they want. There are rules and your children have to understand that they have to follow them."

"Thanks for your trust in me and for the tips."

The older woman smiled and ran her hand through her daughter's hair. "You are welcome, my dear."

Sylvanas smiled at her.

"Enough talking. I came here to swim so I would like to enter the pool now if you allow it."

"Of course I allow it."

Lireesa gave Sylvanas a thankful nod and entered the pool. Together they swam for a while until they had enough. They left the pool hours later, dried themselves with their towels and walked out of the room after they had talked for quite some time.


	53. Passionate Reunion

Kelrian's head was hurting, his heart was beating rapidly in his chest and his skin tingled uncomfortably. His arm didn't hurt at the moment because he had taken the medicine, the doctor had prescribed for him, earlier that day. The medicine was very useful but it only helped him to bear the pain his broken arm was causing. It didn't help him against his nightmares or against the withdrawal symptoms of the mixture Kelrian consumed to prevent the regular occurring of the nightmares.

He had hoped that the nightmares would stop if he would take the strange medicine for some time but the nightmares always returned. The nightmares were unbearable and became worse and worse the oftener they occurred. He couldn't sleep properly and he got in panic whenever he woke up in the middle of the night. He could no longer deal with the nightmares so he had no other choice than consuming the mixture Sen'za had recommended to him. It helped him. He had no nightmares while he consumed this mixture regularly. He could sleep properly without waking up in the middle of the night. That was a good thing.

The bad thing was that he had to consume the mixture regularly. He couldn't go without it. He had to consume it every day otherwise the nightmares would return. And the nightmares brought withdrawal symptoms with them. He had headaches, his heart was beating much faster than usual and his skin tingled unpleasantly. The tingling often turned into itching.

It was barely bearable so Kelrian had decided to take the medicine regularly to feel better. It was not the perfect solution because he was dependent on this mixture but it was the only solution he had. The doctors and healers had found no solution to his problem. The consumption of the mixture the troll alchemist had recommended to him was the only choice he had.

Kelrian regarded the tin in his hand for a few moments, then he opened it and poured little of the grey powder in the pot in front of him. He put the mixing spoon in the pot and started to stir the liquid. He did that for a while until the colour changed from purple to blood red. He removed the spoon and poured the content of the pot in several flasks. He put the flasks in his bag and left the room, tossing a bag of coins to the alchemist who had allowed him to use his laboratory and his ingredients. The young man gave him a nod and said goodbye. Kelrian waved at him and left his laboratory.

He followed the course of the street which was overcrowded. The streets in Silvermoon City were overcrowded because much more citizens were living in Silvermoonsince the evacuation of the villages in Quel'Thalas. The war was not over so most inhabitants of Quel'Thalas still lived in the overcrowded city. Thousands of citizens of Quel'Thalas still lived in Lordaeron, Gilneas, Stromgarde and Ironforge and waited for the end of the war and for the defeat of the Horde. They couldn't wait to return to their homes but they had to be patient. The Horde had lost the battle of Lordaeron but they weren't defeated yet. The spies of the Alliance assumed that the Horde had between ten and twenty thousand warriors left. They were returning to Blackrock Spire to make a new battle plan.

The armies of the Alliance were following them and would attack Blackrock Spire soon. That was everything Kelrian knew. He was not able to participate in the battle so he could only hope the Alliance would destroy the Horde without losing too many soldiers. The armies would be led by Anduin Lothar, Alleria's lover Turalyon, Alleria herself and Verena. Kelrian was sure they will lead the Alliance to victory because they were very experienced leaders.

Kelrian came to the local market, noticing it was not as overcrowded as it usually was during midday. There were hundreds of people looking for goods. Normally nearly about a thousand people hang out there during this time. Much to Kelrian's surprise, it was different on that day. He didn't mind that fewer people were on the market that day. The chances that someone would accidentally come in contact with his broken arm would be much lower so he wouldn't feel any unnecessary pain if everything went well. He had more freedom and could examine the offers in peace without being shoved forward by impatient persons.

Kelrian walked from stall to stall, looking out for a new sword because he had lost his sword during the battle. He could go to the Farstrider Enclave and get a new sword there but he wanted to get a sword which was much better than thestandard swords normal rangers like him got. He came to a stall which sold weapons. He spotted a few high-quality swords and examined them closely but he didn't like any of them. He tested more swords on another stall but they weren't good enough for him.

Their qualities were good but not as good as his old sword which had been a gift from Sylvanas. He had received it six years ago. It had been a well-balanced and very sharp and deadly sword. He needed a replacement which was as good as his former weapon. He hoped he would find a much better sword but he knew he wouldn't find it on the local market.

He would have to go to the best weaponsmith in the east of Silvermoon City if he wanted to get a similar or much better sword. He decided to leave the market and go to the weaponsmith. He walked a bit but stopped as he spotted familiar persons.

He saw the royal family of Lordaeron near a stand with souvenirs. There was Queen Lianne Menethil with her son Arthas and her daughter Calia. Lianne's hair was shorter than Kelrian remembered while Arthas' hair was much longer. Kelrian could only assume that the prince had decided to keep his hair longer because most citizens of Quel'Thalas preferred longer hair. It was an ideal of beauty for the high elves.

Kelrian watched them while they regarded the offers of the souvenir stall. The queen took several necklaces in her hand and regarded them closely while Arthas took a closer look at some quel'dorei figures. There were figures of rangers, Silvermoon Guards and normal citizens. There were also figures of popular persons so figures of Sylvanas could be found there.

Kelrian came closer to the royal family so he could hear what they were talking about. Arthas was asking his mother to buy some of his figures for his collection. His mother couldn't say no to him so she allowed him to choose three figures. The young prince chose a figure of Sylvanas, a figure of Prince Kael'thas and a figure of High King Anasterian Sunstrider. The queen chose a few other pieces of souvenir and handed the trader a bag of gold. The young woman thanked the royal family and made a curtsey, wishing them a good day. The royal family said the same and walked away from the stall. They walked in Kelrian's direction but the queen and the princess didn't notice him as they passed him. Only Arthas noticed him and stopped right in front of him **.**

"Ranger Sunsinger? Is it really you?"

"Yes, It's me, your highness."

The prince's lips formed a smile, his blue eyes rested on the ranger. "I'm glad to see you alive. My father would be happy when he would find out that you are alive." Arthas' eyes shifted to Kelrian's right arm. "Your arm..."

"Will heal sooner or later," completed Kelrian. "It's just broken, nothing more. The doctors have already excluded irreparable damage so I will be able to use my arm without any restrictions as soon as the bones have healed."

"I'm glad to hear that," responded the young prince.

Kelrian returned his smile but didn't say anything.

Curiosity appeared on the teenager's face. "How was the battle?"

"Bloody and very close. We lost many good soldiers but the orcs lost more warriors than we did. We defended your home and protected its citizens. The orcs retreated and our armies are following them at the moment. It's only a matter of time until we get them and make them pay for all the crimes they committed."

"I'm thankful your people support our kingdom. I don't want to imagine what would have happened if my father and our soldiers would have fought against the orcs without any help...," responded Arthas.

"Lordaeron would have been left in ruins, just like Stormwind City... Fortunately, it didn't end that way."

Arthas nodded. "I hope Stormwind City will be rebuilt as soon as the orcs are defeated."

"I hope the same," Kelrian responded and looked around, noticing that Queen Lianne and Princess Calia were no longer in his sight. "It seems your family didn't notice that you stopped to talk to me. They are somewhere else now and probably wondering where you are."

Arthas checked his surroundings, his eyes widened as he realized that Kelrian had said the truth. "Damn," Arthas whispered quietly.

Kelrian rubbed his forehead with his left hand. "Do you have any idea where they wanted to go next?"

Arthas made a thoughtful face. "Mother said we would return to our rooms in Sunstrider Spire after we got some souvenirs for my father and Lieutenant Falric."

"You bought souvenirs for one of your father's soldiers?" Kelrian asked curiously.

"I like him and enjoy his company so I thought it would be nice to give him something made in Quel'Thalas. I assume he fought well for our home."

"That's a nice gesture. You really seem to care about your subjects."

"I do. All of them are important to me and I want to help them as best as I can. I will make sure they will lack nothing and are happy when I will be king. I just want the best for them."

Kelrian smiled at him. "I'm sure you will be a good king and your reign will endure long. I'm sure you will bring honour to your family."

"I hope so. There is nothing I want more than making my father and my mother proud of me."

"I'm sure you will."

Arthas gave him a nod and smiled.

Kelrian checked their surroundings once again. "We should go to Sunstrider Spire. I'm sure your mother is already missing you."

"You are right, we should go."

Kelrian turned around, signalizing the Prince of Lordaeron that he was ready. "I will lead the way. Just follow me and I will bring you back to Sunstrider Spire."

Arthas didn't say anything in return. He just nodded and signalized the ranger that he was also ready. Kelrian didn't hesitate to move and the blond prince followed him. Kelrian noticed that lots of people looked at them while they walked through the streets of Silvermoon. He assumed they were asking themselves why a normal ranger like him was escorting the prince of Lordaeron instead of his personal guards. Kelrian would have loved to do other things in the meantime but he couldn't just leave Prince Arthas Menethil alone and let him walk back to the spire on his own. He could look for a new sword another day. There was nothing else he had planned to do on this day.

He would have spent some time with his family after he would have looked out for a sword. He was spending most of his free time with his family. He comforted his siblings and his mother as best as he could while he was coming to terms with his brother's death at the same time. They coped together which made it easier to accept it. Nonetheless, all members of Kelrian's family needed more time. They couldn't just accept his death from one day to the other. They needed time but fortunately, they had enough time. They could take all the time they needed.

Kelrian and Arthas arrived at Sunstrider Spire after a walk of half an hour. They walked over the bridge, ignoring the glances of the guards and entered the building. Arthas' lips formed a smile as he saw his family in the entrance hall near the room where various portals were constantly maintained. There were not only his mother and his sister, but there was also his father who stood next to Prince Kael'thas and was talking to him. Arthas didn't hesitate to drop his bag and run over to his father, hugging him tightly.

King Terenas returned the hug and put a hand on his son's head, running his fingers through his hair. Kelrian picked up the bag and walked over to the queen, handing it to one of her servants. Lianne regarded her husband and her son for a few moments before she looked at Kelrian.

"Thank you for escorting my son back to the palace. I noticed too late that he stopped following us. I'm sorry for bothering you and wasting your time."

Kelrian gave her a comforting smile and lowered his head in respect. "It's okay. I wasn't doing anything important at the moment. It was an honour for me to bring your son back to you."

"Ranger Sunsinger, it's good to see you alive," said King Terenas. Kelrian turned around and looked at the human king, lowering his head in respect.

"The battle was not easy but I survived it somehow."

"What happened to your arm?"

"A fearsome orc broke it with ease. The orc would have killed me if my best friend wouldn't have saved me," Kelrian explained.

Terenas gave him a nod, a thoughtful look appeared on his face. His lips were pressed together and his eyes reflected a small amount of worry. "You survived, that's all that matters."

"Not everyone was as lucky as I was."

The king nodded. "Many fell in the battle but we won in the end. The dead will not be forgotten. I will make sure of that."

"So will we," responded Kael'thas. "We will build a monument for the fallen. A statue or a large pillar. Maybe we will build many pillars were all the names of the fallen high elves are engraved. You could do the same," suggested the prince as he looked at the old king.

"It's not a bad idea. But we lost thousands of soldiers so we would have to build many high and wide pillars," said Terenas.

"I don't see a problem with that."

"There is no problem but first we have to repair the damaged walls of the capital city and rebuild destroyed outposts and villages in Lordaeron and Quel'Thalas."

An amused voice could be heard from behind. Everyone turned around to see the person who had greeted them. High King Anasterian Sunstrider approached them and greeted the human king with a handshake. Everyone bowed to the king of the quel'dorei and greeted him. "You are speaking as if the war is already over but it's not over. Not yet. Don't forget that."

"I would never forget that, father," responded Kael'thas. "The war is not over but it will be over soon and I'm sure we will be victorious. Our armies will triumph and the orcs will lose."

"Do not underestimate the orcs, my son. They are strong, much stronger than we have expected. They managed to gain control over the dragons and devastate our lands. They killed half of our army. You didn't forget that, did you?"

Kael'thas shook his head and continued to stare into his father's eyes. "Of course not. How could I forget that these green bastards ruined the beauty of our kingdom as they set our beautiful forests on fire and devasted our villages? I will never forgive them for what they did and I hope the orcs will get what they deserve."

Terenas smiled. "They will get what they deserve. I'm sure about that."

"My flames consumed the bodies of several hundred orcs during the recent battle, nevertheless I hope I could kill more of these bastards."

"Why didn't you join the attack on Blackrock Spire then, Prince Kael'thas?" asked Terenas' wife.

Kael'thas turned his head and looked at her. "I wanted to go with our army but my father told me to plan the rebuilding of destroyed villages, military bases and outposts. Lady Sylvanas Windrunner is still unable to do her tasks as Ranger-General so I will take care of that while she recovers."

Lianne's facial expression reflected worry. "What does she have? I hope it's nothing serious."

"I don't know what exactly she has because I didn't talk to her yet but from what I heard I know that she will get better eventually. She just needs time to recover," explained the mage.

"She is the best ranger in Quel'Thalas, isn't she?" asked Arthas and gave Kael'thas a curious look. The prince chuckled. "She is. Like her mother before her, she is the best ranger in Quel'Thalas. I just hope it's not the same illness her mother has. It would be a shame if she would have to step down too. Lireesa and Sylvanas Windrunner are the best military leaders we ever had. They know a lot about tactics and military matters and are very deadly from a distance but also in close combat. Well, Lireesa was when she was Ranger-General but her daughter is still one of our best warriors. All of Lireesa's daughters belong to the best of the best."

"We hope she recovers soon and will remain Ranger-General," spoke Arthas' mother.

"We hope the same," replied Anasterian. He turned his head and looked at Kelrian who still stood near them. "You are dismissed Ranger Sunsinger. Your services will no longer be needed. Thank you."

Kelrian bowed to his king and said goodbye to everyone. His gaze rested on Arthas for a few moments before he turned around and walked away. He left the building and was about to walk over the bridge as he heard someone shouting his name. He turned his head, spotting Elena near the entrance of Sunstrider Spire.

"Oh, hi. I didn't expect you to be in Silvermoon. I thought you are on the march to Blackrock Spire with the rest of the army," Kelrian said and examined her closer. She looked healthy. She had no visible scars, cuts or other injuries. No broken nose, no lost eye or separated limb. She had survived the battle without receiving any injury. She had had more luck than him.

Elena put a strand of turquoise coloured hair behind her ear, giving him a smile. "I thought the same but Captain Sweetblossom ordered me to stay in Silvermoon and help to rebuild the destroyed villages as soon as the prince has planned everything."

Kelrian nodded. "It's good to see you alive. I'm glad that none of these green bastards injured or killed you."

Her smile became wider. "I'm also glad that the orc didn't kill you. It would have been a shame if such a handsome man like you would have died," she replied in a flirtatious tone. Kelrian didn't go for her bait. He knew she still wanted him but he wouldn't fall for her. He was about to say something as a woman approached him. Kelrian turned his head and scrutinized her. He knew that woman. It was one of Sylvanas' employees who helped her with her daily tasks as Ranger-General.

The woman wore a nice blue dress, her hair was coloured in red and made up in a ponytail. Kelrian was pretty sure that her name was Janette. She stood right next to him and regarded him with a smile on her lips. She had crossed her arms behind her back and waited patiently.

"How can I help you?" Kelrian asked politely.

"Lady Sylvanas wants to see you."

"Now?"

Janette nodded her head.

"She wants to see me in her office, right?"

"No."

Kelrian raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"She waits for you in her private house," responded Janette.

"I have no idea where that is."

"That's why I am here to guide you."

Kelrian gave her a nod. "I see." He turned his head and looked at Elena who wasn't very happy. He could be mistaken but he had the impression that she was jealous. A bit at least. "It seems that we are parting at this point," Kelrian said to Elena.

Elena didn't say anything. She didn't even wave or said goodbye. She just stared at Kelrian.

Kelrian said goodbye and followed Janette to Sylvanas' private house. It was pretty large and made out of white and yellow stones. There was a large front garden but no fence around the property. Unlike most private owners, Sylvanas didn't care that someone would step on her property. She didn't need to be afraid of that because no one would do that. Everyone respected the Ranger-General and didn't want to provoke her or make her upset.

Nevertheless, Sylvanas had private guards who watched over her house and prevented that anything would be stolen or damaged. Janette greeted one of these guards and told him that Kelrian was allowed to enter the house. The guard nodded to them and opened the door, allowing Kelrian and Janette to step inside.

They came in the large entrance hall where lots of statues stood along the walls. Most of these statues resembled normal Farstriders but there were also two statues who looked exactly like two very important persons of the Windrunner family. The first statue represented Lireesa Windrunner and the other represented one of Sylvanas' ancestors. It was the legendary ranger Talanas Windrunner who became the first Ranger-General of Silvermoon. He had been the greatest of the first elven rangers and the first owner of the legendary bow Thas'dorah that was currently in the possession of Alleria.

Kelrian regarded the statues for a few moments, then he admired the rest of the room. There were several beautiful paintings that hang on the wall, there was a blue carpet which covered the entire floor and there was a magnificent chandelier. The room didn't lack decoration and neither did the bordering corridor.

They followed the corridor, took the staircase and walked until Janette stopped in front of a door. She stepped aside and looked at Kelrian. "This is Lady Sylvanas' bedroom. Feel free to knock at her door and enter it once you have received permission."

Kelrian nodded at her. "I will."

Janette gave him a smile and walked away. Kelrian regarded her for a few moments, then he turned around and faced the door. He didn't hesitate to knock. His heart began to beat faster as he heard the lovely voice of a goddess. He opened the door and spotted the goddess who sat on an armchair and looked in his direction.

The corners of Sylvanas' lips formed a happy smile as she spotted Kelrian. She got up, the cloak around her shoulders slipped down and landed on the floor but she didn't care. She just wanted to approach her lover who had returned to her after two and a half weeks. He had returned to Silvermoon a week ago but he hadn't been able to see her earlier because they had been busy.

This was the first time they saw each other after his departure. He returned to her alive and in one piece. He was wounded but alive and that was all that mattered. Sylvanas didn't lose him as she had feared. He was not dead. He was very alive and happy to see her. Their child wouldn't grow up with only one parent but with two parents instead.

Sylvanas came closer to him, her gaze rested on his handsome face. Kelrian's gaze rested on her belly which had become rounder since the last time he had seen her. His gaze shifted to her beautiful face which had become a bit rounder because of the pregnancy and the additional hormones which were still produced.

She still looked beautiful. She was still as beautiful as a goddess even with her round belly. Even if she would look less beautiful Kelrian wouldn't care. He loved her because of her character and not because of her body. Nevertheless, he was still heavily attracted to her. There was no way to deny that. But her character was a lot more important to him than her appearance.

He stopped in front of her and allowed her to wrap an arm around his neck. She made sure she didn't come in contact with his injured arm as she hugged him from the left side. She stepped on her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss on his left cheek. He smiled and lowered his head so she could reach his lips without having to stand on her tiptoes any longer.

He didn't hesitate to return the kiss. Sylvanas smiled into the kiss, putting one of her hands on his cheek and the other on the back of his head. She ran her fingers through his hair as she deepened the kiss. Her tongue licked over his bottom lip, signalizing him that it wanted to enter his mouth. He parted his lips, allowing her to do that. He smiled as he felt Sylvanas' tongue brushing past his as it entered his mouth. Her tongue licked every reachable corner of his mouth and his tongue did the same once it had entered her mouth.

They held the kiss as long as possible and pulled away as soon as they were out of air. They breathed heavily and stared at each other. "I'm so happy to see you alive, my love. I feared that you wouldn't return from Lordaeron. But here you are, not uninjured but alive."

Kelrian put his hand under her chin and lifted it a little. "I would never leave you. I would never leave you alone with our child. I prayed to the Sunwell that I would survive this war and I did. I survived and returned to you as I've promised."

He lowered his head and put his lips on hers, deepening the kiss as soon as Sylvanas returned it. The kiss was shorter but much more passionate than the first one. Both of them were breathless and needed a few minutes to calm down.

Kelrian noticed that his heart was beating rapidly in his chest but that was only natural. His heart was beating much faster whenever he was in the near of that goddess. Things weren't different in Sylvanas' case. Her heart was also beating much faster when Kelrian was around.

They loved each other so that was only natural. It was also natural for them to stare in each other's eyes for quite some time without saying anything. They did that at the moment and averted their gazes after a while. "I should leave Silvermoon City more often if I would get greeted that way every time," joked Kelrian.

Sylvanas hit his healthy shoulder playfully. "Don't you dare to do that," Sylvanas said with an exaggerated warning tone in her voice. She tried to remain serious but she couldn't help but smile at him a moment later. She knew he was just making fun of her and she couldn't be mad at him for too long.

Kelrian rubbed the back of his head with his hand, smiling at her. Sylvanas put a hand on his forehead, running her fingers through his long blond hair which was combed to the left side. "Did I ever tell you that I really like your hair?"

Kelrian chuckled. "You did. Very often."

"Now I did it again," she responded and smiled.

He returned the smile. "Your hair looks perfect as always. I've never seen a woman whose hair is more beautiful than yours."

"Alleria's hair is better than mine."

"I don't know, I have never examined it closely. Even if that would be true, I wouldn't care. I only have eyes for you," Kelrian whispered in her ear as he started to place soft kisses on its entire length.

"I know, my dear and I'm glad about that. I just wanted to say that not everything is perfect about me."

"Most people would say the opposite. You are perfect in their eyes," responded Kelrian, kissing the tip of her right ear. He smirked as Sylvanas' breath stopped for a moment as he bit the tip of her ear softly. It was already stiff but he didn't comment about that nor did he take the next step. He pulled away instead and stared into Sylvanas' beautiful blue eyes. She returned his staring.

"I don't care what some people say. I don't care what the others say. I only care about the opinions of you and my family. My family and you matter the most for me. I'm happy as long as you are happy with me."

"Don't worry, my love. I'm always happy with you and there is nothing that could change that."

Sylvanas stepped closer to him. "Are you sure? You even like me in this... form?"

Kelrian frowned, his eyes rested on her. He could see the doubt in her eyes and he found out quickly that she didn't seem to be as self-confident as she normally was. Sylvanas was never insecure when it came to her appearance and her talent but she was pregnant so it was not unusual that she would feel less secure from time to time. Mood swings were not uncommon either and he had to get used to them and deal with them as best as possible.

His frown quickly disappeared and a smile appeared on his lips. He put his hand on her hip and pulled her closer until her round belly came in contact with his muscular belly. "It doesn't matter to me how you look. I will always find you beautiful no matter how you look. Your character is much more important to me than your appearance. Never forget that, my dear."

The worry vanished out of Sylvanas' eyes. A weak smile appeared on her lips. "Do you swear it?"

Kelrian took her hand, brought it to his lips and kissed it softly. He held it as he stared into her eyes and gave her a response. "I swear it in the name of my mother that I will always love you no matter what will happen and that I will never leave you because of the change of your appearance. I will never leave you and stay by your side until the end of our days."

Sylvanas' smile became wider, she stepped on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his, kissing him for the third time in that day. She couldn't get enough of him so she held the passionate kiss as long as possible. She only pulled away because she had run out of air and needed to breathe.

"So...You like this form?"

Kelrian raised an eyebrow. "This form?" he asked irritated. "I don't know what you mean. All I see is the same woman I love who is carrying the product of our love in her belly. And I love her no matter how she looks like."

"You sure?"

Kelrian nodded, making the last amount of doubt vanish out of her face. "I do. I will prove it if necessary. Just tell me how."

Sylvanas tilted her head a little, a grin appeared on her lips. Kelrian gave her a curious look but didn't say anything.

"There is something you could do to prove to me that you still find me attractive and are not disgusted by my form."

"And what?"

Sylvanas smile became wider as she came closer to him and stepped on her tiptoes so she could whisper something in his ear. Her smile became much wider as she saw his reaction out of the corner of her eyes. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped a little.

"Are you sure?"

"I am."

"But how? How should I do that with only one arm?"

"You won't need you two arms to do that. You don't even need to use your healthy arm. Just do what I say," spoke Sylvanas.

Kelrian lowered his head, pointing at her belly. "Are you sure it's not bad for the baby?"

"Of course it's not bad. I asked my mother and Verena's sister. They told me it is okay as long as I'm not lying on my belly. There are many positions where I don't have to lie on my belly, just you know."

"You are right, I guess."

"I am. So?"

"So? What"?

"So, what you say?"

"You know I would never say no to doing this with you."

Sylvanas grinned. "Indeed, I know that."

"So, what exactly do you want me to do?"

Sylvanas stepped on her tiptoes again, whispering something in his ear. Kelrian nodded to her. "Your wish is my command."

"Go ahead, my love."

Kelrian wrapped his arm around her waist and guided her over to the table on the right side of the room. Sylvanas removed everything that laid on the table and sat on top of it, giving Kelrian a wide grin. The ranger didn't hesitate and started to unbutton Sylvanas' top. It was not easy to do it with only one hand so Sylvanas helped him. She whispered something to Kelrian and he obeyed, kissing her neck while she removed her clothes. First her top, then the bra beneath it. The next piece of cloth that she removed was her pants, followed by her socks and panties.

She was completely exposed while Kelrian still wore his entire outfit. But he didn't wear it for too long because Sylvanas was pretty fast. She removed everything above his waist and pulled his trousers and pants down.

Kelrian didn't want to let her wait any longer so he pushed her slowly backwards until she laid on the table, her legs were spread widely. Her hands rested on her upper thighs, desire and lust were reflected by her eyes.

He stepped in front of her and licked his lips as he looked down at her and regarded her naked form closely. "Are you ready, my love?"

She grinned widely and bit her bottom lip in anticipation. "Of course I am."


	54. Joy

Kelrian's breaths were heavy, his skin was sweating and his heart was beating rapidly in his chest. He was exhausted. Exhausted for a certain reason. He had done something both of them had enjoyed and he had done it pretty well. The expression on Sylvanas' face and the loud sounds which had escaped her lips were proof enough. He had satisfied his girlfriend pretty well.

He still stood in front of the table on which his pregnant girlfriend was lying. Her legs were still spread, her hands still rested on her breasts. She was also breathing heavily and her skin was covered by sweat. He was leaning over her and propped his left arm on top of the stared into her eyes as he slowly pulled himself together and relaxed. He was overwhelmed from the orgasm he just had so he needed a few more minutes to calm down.

He stared into her eyes but didn't say anything. He didn't need to say anything because Sylvanas was silent as well. They enjoyed the pleasant silence together. Kelrian pulled away after a while and gave her a happy smile. Sylvanas lifted her upper body up as soon as he was no longer inside her. She noticed that a small amount of a sticky white liquid flowed out of her womanhood. She couldn't keep all the cum he had shot inside her. She wiped it away with a handkerchief before she got up and stepped to Kelrian, wrapping her arms around his upper body.

"I really enjoyed it. It feels good to just lay there and let you have your way with me."

Kelrian grinned. "It's rare that I'm not the one who is lying on the back. I really enjoyed it."

"Don't get used to it, my dear. The next time I will show you how dominant I can be even with a baby in my belly."

Kelrian's grin became wider. "I'm looking forward to experiencing it."

"And I'm looking forward to having sex with you when I'm not pregnant anymore."

Kelrian nodded. "Same."

"You have to know that I'm a lot hornier since I became pregnant."

"I noticed that."

"But don't forget to tell me when you are not comfortable with making love to me while our child is growing in my belly. There is another hole you can make love to."

Kelrian put his left hand on her cheek and caressed it. "I'm not the biggest fan of making love to anyone's other opening so I rather go with the traditional way."

Sylvanas' teasing smile was unmissable. "I just wanted to tell you that this would also be an option."

"Taking your anal virginity was already enough for me, my dear. I think I have already enough of this hole. I'm fine with our usual love-making. I don't want to change it."

"Good to hear. That way I don't need to be afraid that I wouldn't be able to sit properly for a few days," Sylvanas said in return.

Kelrian blushed. "Now you are exaggerating."

"I am, but just a little. You were very gentle that day but my ass had still hurt for the rest of that day."

"I didn't ask for this gift. You were the one who offered me to pay your other hole a visit."

Sylvanas chuckled amused. "Man, you are so easy to tease," she said and patted his left shoulder playfully.

Kelrian didn't say anything in return but he put his hand on Sylvanas' head and ran his fingers through her gorgeous hair. She smiled at him as he did that for a while. "You really like my hair, don't you?"

Kelrian put a strand of hair in his hand and brought it to his lips. "What can I say? It's the most beautiful hair I've ever seen in my life. It's so soft but still looks so strong. Even the sun is envious of its beautiful colour. It's hard to describe how it feels when I touch it. I can only say I really enjoy running my fingers through it."

Sylvanas smiled. "I like your hair as well. Not many quel'dorei comb their hair to the side. It's unique and looks good."

"Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me for speaking out the truth."

"But I'm still doing it."

"I won't stop you then," replied Sylvanas and grinned. Kelrian wrapped his arm around her, pulling her as close as possible to him. Her belly was pressed slightly against his muscular stomach. He didn't stop to stare into her eyes, noticing that she was doing the same. They held eye contact for a while, pulling away when Kelrian's stomach growled.

Sylvanas chuckled as she spotted the slight blush on Kelrian's face. He cleared his throat. "I guess I haven't eaten for a while."

Sylvanas pulled away and guided him over to her bedside table on which a bowl of fruits was standing. She signalized him to sit down and he did that without hesitation. She sat on his lap and picked up the bowl, starting to feed him with some grapes. Later she handed apples and bananas over to him. She also ate fruits because she was also very hungry. Basically, she was eating for two so she needed to eat much more than usual.

Together they emptied the bowl within half an hour but Kelrian was still hungry. "Do you have anything else to eat here?"

Sylvanas checked the surroundings. "I don't think so but I can ask Janette to bring us something. If you are patient enough, I can even ask her to cook us a decent meal."

Kelrian didn't think about her offer for too long. "I don't really mind waiting."

"Should I tell her to cook something for us?"

Kelrian nodded. Sylvanas smiled and kissed his cheek, getting up from his lap. She walked to her wardrobe and took out a white cloak, wrapping it around her body. She gave Kelrian one last look, catching the kiss, he blew to her, with her hand. She put her hand on her heart and winked at him. He did the same as she blew a kiss at him. He regarded her until she left the room and closed the door behind her.

He got up from the bed eventually and put his underpants back on. But only them, he didn't put any other piece of cloth on, so Sylvanas could ogle him later if she wanted. He noticed that his head started hurting again so he walked over to his bag and pulled out one of the flasks. He removed the lid and brought the flasks to his mouth. He had intended to take only a small sip but in the end, he emptied half of the flask because the mixture tasted too good and made him want more. The more he drank the longer the effect will endure so it didn't really matter that he had drunk more than he had wanted.

Kelrian put the lid back on the flask, making sure it was really closed before he put it back in his bag. He stared at his bag, remembering the conversation he had with Sen'za after she had been freed. He had talked to her one last time before she had left Silvermoon City.

_"Ya shouldn't take it taa often if it has dese effects on ya. I neva thought dat dis mixture can make ya addicted. My family neva got addicted when dey consumed it regularly for a certain amount of time. Dey took it for weeks until dey were able ta sleep again without havin' nightmares. No side effects eva occurred when dey took it. It seems dat de mixture affects ya differently. It makes ya addicted and ya don't feel so good if ya don't take it for a few days. Dat is not good."_

_Kelrian nodded. "I know but I have no other choice. The nightmares don't want to go away. I can't sleep properly without consuming your mixture. I know it's not very healthy but I have no other choice."_

_"Ya have anotha choice," responded the troll alchemist._

Kelrian raised an eyebrow and gave her a curious look. "Tell me."

_"Stop takin' it and speak with de alchemists in Silvamoon. Maybe dey have somethin' for ya dat helps ya and makes de nightmares go away for eva."_

_"I already asked them. All the medicines they gave me hadn't worked in the long run."_

_"I'm afraid dat dere is nothin' else I can do for ya. Ya can add cherry blossoms and dragonhawk feathers. Dey might make it betta. Ya have ta try it. I can't guarantee anythin'."_

_"I will ask one of the alchemists I know and then I will consider if I should try this new combination."_

_"Do dat."_

Kelrian averted his gaze eventually, not knowing how much time had passed. He looked at the clock on the wall, finding out that he had spent fifteen minutes staring at his bag. He turned around and walked to the bed, sitting down eventually. He started to think about the mixture again. He had added ten cherry blossoms and three feathers in the pot so he was hoping that they would make a difference.

The alchemist had told him it was not wise to drink the mixture without testing it before but he had done it nevertheless. He couldn't bear the nightmares nor did he wanted to consume this mixture for the rest of his life. He had to find something which would make the nightmares disappear forever. He just wanted to sleep without having nightmares. He wanted to share a bed with Sylvanas without needing to wake up in the middle of the night.

Once the baby would be born, he would have to stand up in the middle of the night and comfort the baby from time to time. He was sure he would stay overnight in Sylvanas' room once the baby would be born. No matter if they would make their relationship official or not. Thanks to his father, rumours about him and Sylvanas had already been spread and were still spread. It was not unlikely that they would tell the public that they were a couple.

Kelrian hoped the baby wouldn't cry every night so he would get enough sleep at least at some nights **.** If not the baby, the nightmares would keep him awake. It wouldn't take long until he would collapse in the middle of the day if he wouldn't get enough sleep every day. He couldn't allow that to happen, especially during times of war where he needed to be focused. He wouldn't be entirely focused if he wouldn't get enough sleep. Lack of concentration could quickly lead to his death. He didn't want to die and leave Sylvanas alone with their baby so he had to make sure he would get enough sleep.

He was sure the war against the Horde will be over soon but nobody knew how many wars would await them. He could not exclude that no further wars would take place in the future. He had to be prepared for anything and he couldn't allow himself to get distracted in an important situation. He had to find a way to get rid of his nightmares and he wouldn't shrink back from experimenting a bit.

He trusted Sen'za. He knew she wouldn't recommend him a mixture that would harm him. Her love potion may have not worked the way she had wanted but her other potions probably had. Zul'jin wouldn't have allowed her to work for him if she would have sucked at what she was doing. There must have been a reason why he had allowed her to work for him and made her to his right hand. She must be a talented alchemist, otherwise, she wouldn't have been in the position she had been before she had fled.

Kelrian trusted her skills and her knowledge and he hoped that the newest additions to the recipe would make a difference. He felt no difference so far but the headache had disappeared. He could only hope the new mixture would change something in the long run.

Kelrian was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice that Sylvanas had entered the room and walked over to him. He got a fright and nearly fell from the bed. Sylvanas tilted her head and regarded him, a frown was visible on her forehead. "Are you okay?"

"Yes...Yes, I am. I was just... lost in thoughts..."

"What were you thinking of?" Sylvanas asked curiously, her brows were still raised.

"I...," Kelrian paused for a moment and considered if he should tell Sylvanas about the medicine he was consuming to stop his nightmares. He wanted to tell her but he knew she had already enough trouble with the still enduring war and the baby that was growing in her belly. He didn't want to bother her with his problems. She was already busy and worried enough. He didn't want to make her more worried than she already was.

He decided to lie to her. He thought telling her a white lie was the best for her and their child. It wouldn't be good for the child if Sylvanas would be worried and stressed all the time. He thought it would be better if he wouldn't tell her about the mixture. He hoped the new mixture would work so he would never have to tell her about his problems. He hoped the nightmares would disappear soon and never return.

"I thought about my brother," he responded. He hadn't come to terms with his brother's death yet so it was not a real lie. It was true that he thought about his brother very often. He just hadn't thought about him at the moment but Sylvanas couldn't know that. She believed him.

Sylvanas' facial expression changed. There was worry but also sympathy. She wrapped her arms around his neck and moved closer to him. She put her head on his left shoulder and snuggled closer to him. Her voice was low but full of sympathy. "I'm so sorry about what happened to him. I would have come to you and comforted you but Zetai told me that you wanted to be alone with your family so I waited for a week before I told Janette to find you and bring you to me."

"You made the right choice. I have needed some time with my family. They needed me, soI couldn't leave them alone for the first few days. I wanted to be near them and help them as best as possible," Kelrian responded.

"How are they feeling?" Sylvanas asked worriedly.

"Better, I guess. Their hearts are still broken and they haven't accepted Seitor's death yet but they are doing better. They will need more time to accept his death."

Sylvanas caressed his cheeks. "What about you?"

Kelrian sighed but didn't respond at first. He was silent for a few minutes because he was ordering his thoughts. He gave her an answer as soon as he was ready. "I feel better as well. I haven't come to terms with his death yet. I will need more time but... Yeah... I'm okay." He turned his head and stared into her eyes, noticing that the same worried expression was still reflected by her face. He put his hand on her cheek and caressed it, signalizing her that he was okay.

"If there is anything I can do to make you feel better, just say it."

"I just need some distraction. I don't want to forget him but I don't want to think about him all the time. I can't stop thinking about him when I'm alone or in the same room as a member of my family. We only talk about him so don't be mad that I don't want to talk to you about him. I want to enjoy my time with you and think about something else."

Sylvanas nodded slightly, giving him a small smile. "I will be there for you whenever you need me and do my best to comfort you. I won't leave my house as long as no important person wants to see me. Feel free to visit me whenever you want. You don't have to care that anyone sees you. People have already started rumouring about us thanks to your stupid father. They will put two and two together and find out quickly that you are the father of my child. We don't have to hide anymore."

The last sentence surprised Kelrian so much that he was unable to say anything in return. He had never expected that Sylvanas would tell him that she didn't want to hide their relationship anymore. He had expected that they would talk about everything and he would be the one who would convince her that it would be better to make their relationship public.

He had never expected that because Sylvanas was the one who had wanted to keep their relationship secret from the beginning. She was the one who had been afraid that Kelrian would get into unnecessary trouble and get hurt by a jealous admirer or ex-lover.

She still was worried about him but she thought it was the best for their relationship and their child if she would make everything public. She didn't want to hide anymore and sneak out to see Kelrian. She didn't want to have to check her surroundings every time she met Kelrian and make sure nobody was following her. She wanted to meet him in the middle of the day and do something outside with him instead of meeting him somewhere where nobody saw them.

She wanted to kiss him in public, hold hands with him and show everyone that he was hers. She wanted to go outside with him and their baby in a pram and go for a stroll as normal couples were doing with their babies. She was tired of hiding, so she had decided to make their relationship public as soon as an opportunity would come along. She just hoped Kelrian shared her opinion and also wanted to make it public.

She stared into his eyes, caressing his cheeks softly. Kelrian didn't say anything but he gave her a nod and a kiss on her forehead. "About you distracting me," Kelrian started but he stopped speaking as he saw the grin on Sylvanas' lips. He found himself lying on his back faster than expected. Sylvanas sat on him and kissed his neck. "Don't worry, I know exactly what I'm doing. There are many ways to distract you but I think you like this one the most."

* * *

Kelrian wrapped his arm around Sylvanas, pulling her closer to him. He laid on his left side and Sylvanas laid in front of him, her back was pressed against his front. Her eyes were closed. Her breaths were slow, steady and quiet. A white blanket covered their nude and sweaty bodies. Sylvanas' hair was a mess so was Kelrian's. Their love-making had been passionate and gentle. They had taken their time enjoyed themselves as long as possible.

Sylvanas was right. She was very good at distracting him and make him forget his problems for a few hours. She made him relax and feel better. Thanks to her he had been able to spend the rest of the day without thinking about his brother. It had been good for him to clear his head and not worry for several hours. Her presence comforted him and prevented that he would fall into a deep depression. She gave him enough strength to hold out and not break under the pressure. The bad thoughts wouldn't consume him while she was around.

She was everything he needed. He needed her so badly and she had promised him to be there for him whenever he would need her. He could always go to her and talk about everything. He could always seek comfort in her arms and in her love. She would always love him no matter what would happen and he would always love her. She was the best thing that ever happened to Kelrian.

He didn't know what he would do without her. He didn't want to imagine a life without her. He loved her with all his heart and he didn't want that anything would change. Things between them were perfect. Their unborn child would change things between them but he was sure everything will be alright. They will raise their child together and be a happy family. A wonderful future awaited them.

The orcs would be defeated soon, so the Alliance could finally have the peace it deserved. He and Sylvanas will make things official and probably move together so he could see his child every day. He was looking forward to spending his life with her and their child. Maybe they would have more than one child. Everything was possible. They just had to wait for the end of the war before they would start planning their future.

Kelrian smirked as Sylvanas snuggled closer to him, rubbing her back against his front. It was unmistakable that she was pretty tired so they were only cuddling instead of doing other things. They had made enough love for the day. Lying together in bed and cuddling was the perfect end to this wonderful day. They did nothing except enjoying the close body contact. The only sounds which were hearable were their quiet breaths and a few low moans which escaped Sylvanas' lips whenever Kelrian kissed her neck.

Kelrian put his hand on her belly and caressed it. Sylvanas covered his hand with hers and intertwined their fingers. She smiled as they caressed her belly together, her eyes were still closed and her breaths slow and quiet. Kelrian held her tightly and placed kisses on her shoulders and neck from time to time. He whispered sweet words in her ear, he told her how much he loved her and how happy he was that he would become a father in about four months. Sylvanas said nothing in return, she just moaned quietly from time to time and pressed her body against his.

She fell asleep eventually and Kelrian regarded her while she slept. She looked so peaceful while she slept. A sleeping beauty. He kissed the spot behind her ear and caressed her belly one more time before he put his head on the pillow and closed his eyes. Sleep didn't wait too long for him.

He drifted off quickly and woke up the next morning. He lifted his head, noticing that Sylvanas was still lying next to him. Her breaths were quiet, her eyes closed and she didn't move. Only her chest rose and sank whenever she breathed in and exhaled.

Kelrian's gaze rested on her breasts for a long time, which had become much larger during her pregnancy. He really liked to regard them so it was not easy to avert his gaze but he managed to do that eventually. He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss on her cheek before he stood up and walked over to the mirror next to Sylvanas' wardrobe.

He regarded his nude form for a few moments, then he opened the wardrobe and pulled one of Sylvanas' coats out. He wrapped it around his body, noticing that it reached to his knees. He walked over to the nearest door, opened it and stepped on the balcony. He put his hand on the railing and regarded the sunrise.

He didn't avert his gaze until he felt two arms around his upper body. The person behind him was no other than his lover. Sylvanas didn't say anything. She had her eyes closed and pressed her face against his back, enjoying his presence.

They stayed like this for a while, doing nothing except for enjoying the presence of the other.

"We could cuddle in bed for a while before we go to the kitchen to have some breakfast. Does that sound good to you?"

"Yes, it does, my love," responded Kelrian and pressed his lips against her temple. The Ranger-General took his hand and guided him over to the bed. She pushed the blanket aside and laid down, wrapping her arms around Kelrian as soon as he laid next to her. She took his left hand and intertwined their fingers, then she closed her eyes as she started to relax, allowing her thoughts to drift.


	55. The End Of The War

Over.

It was over.

It was finally over.

The meaningless slaughter. The meaningless fights for honour and glory. The meaningless fights for territories and power.

The meaningless war.

It was over.

Finally.

As Sylvanas had hoped, the Alliance had won the final battle. They had won the final battle of Blackrock Spire. The armies of the Alliance had defeated the orcs but they had lost many soldiers to achieve that victory. Their sacrifices would never be forgotten.

Sylvanas looked up from the scroll in her hands and regarded Kelrian who was sitting not far away from her and gave her a curious look. "What does it say?" he asked impatiently.

"We won," she announced happily. Her voice was much higher than usual.

"We won? For real?"

"Our armies defeated the orcs."

Kelrian raised an eyebrow in surprise. He jumped up but didn't move. He just stood on the same spot and stared at her. Sylvanas had the impression that he couldn't believe what she had just said. She waited a few moments until Kelrian had snapped out of his thoughts and returned to reality.

He signalized her to hand him the scroll which she did. He started to read it slowly and carefully. The doubt and surprise that was reflected by his face vanished and was replaced by happiness. "Indeed, we won. Commander Turalyon and his soldiers captured the Warchief and the remaining orcs who didn't die in the battle."

His facial expression changed again as he continued to read. Sadness was suddenly reflected. Sylvanas knew pretty well which paragraph he had just read. She was still dismayed by this paragraph. An unfortunate outcome. But the Alliance had won, that was all that mattered. Numerous soldiers gave their lives for the Alliance.

Many fought for the Alliance and died for it. Thanks to them and all the other soldiers that survived, the Alliance had been victorious. Everyone had given their best to kill as many enemies as possible. Not even the strongest mortals were invincible and would live forever. People died. That was inevitable in wars. Even strong and fearless warriors could die.

"I can't believe that the Warchief killed him...," whispered Kelrian. His voice sounded sad and weak. His face clearly reflected how he was feeling at the moment. He was not happy at all.

Sylvanas wasn't happy either but her face didn't reflect how much she was affected by the death of the legendary and most famous member of the Alliance. "I can't believe it either but we have to accept how things are. Supreme Commander Anduin Lothar gave his life for the Alliance when he led his soldiers to victory. He will not be forgotten nor will every soldier who died fighting for the Alliance. Everyone will remember him. His name will be mentioned a lot in history books and poems. Many songs will be written about him. He was a legend and he died like a legend. He died fighting for his people."

"Why do the good guys always have to die while the bad guys survive?"

"Life is cruel, that's why."

Kelrian exhaled loudly and rubbed his forehead with his fingers. He didn't look very happy. "Anduin Lothar was such an awesome and fearless warrior who did everything for his people. It's unfair that he died while the Warchief still lives."

"Orgrim Doomhammer may still be alive but he is no longer free. His army has been decimated and he and the other survivors have been captured. He is our prisoner and he will be brought to Lordaeron where he will be punished for his crimes. He will answer for his crimes and pay for everything he did to the Alliance. He and the Horde committed numerous crimes and destroyed tens of thousands of lives. They will pay for everything and King Terenas Menethil will make sure their punishment is just."

"Do you have any idea how their punishment would look like?" Kelrian asked curiously.

Sylvanas shrugged. "I have no idea. I don't think they will be executed. They will probably be put in prison for the rest of their lives. Death is not the worst punishment for a warrior. The worst punishment is to be locked up in a cell and not be able to do anything. They will be locked up there until they die an honourless and non-glorious death."

"I rather have them dead than locked up in cells. If we kill them, we don't have to fear that they might break out and regroup one day."

"I get your point, Kel. But it's very unlikely that they will manage to break out."

Kelrian tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

The pregnant elf nodded. "If we separate them, put them in different prisons in different cities or build several camps where we lock them up, I'm sure they wouldn't be able to reorganise them. A lot of things must go wrong so that they have a chance to free themselves and reunite."

"A lot went wrong since the invasion of the orcs. I wouldn't be sure that everything will turn out as we hope for."

Sylvanas put her hand on his and the other on his cheek, caressing it. "Trust me, my love. Everything will become better from now on. The orcs are defeated and will never be a problem for the Alliance again. We won this unnecessary and bloody war and we will have peace from now on. Zul'jin might have escaped but we will find him one day and kill him this time. He will not be able to avoid his just punishment forever."

He nodded. "We lost too many soldiers. We lost people we loved. Seitor and Lirath are only two of tens of thousands of innocent people who died in the war. The Horde has been destroyed and the Alliance still exists. We won and we have to honour the fallen heroes."

Sylvanas agreed with him. "We will honour the fallen and mourn for the ones we lost, then we can celebrate this expensive victory."

"You want Lirath's funeral to be held soon, right?"

"I have to speak to my family first, as soon as Alleria and Vereesa return home, then we will decide when it will happen. I guess in about a week. We want to do it before the victory celebration. Will you bury or burn Seitor in that time?"

"We will bury him," Kelrian responded quickly.

"Funerals are very rare these days. People often burn the corpses of their deceased loved ones. My family burns the corpses of dead family members for thousands of years."

"My family is different. We bury the dead. Our family vault is a little outside of Suncrown Village."

"I didn't know that. Why didn't you tell me?"

Kelrian shrugged. "I saw no reason in telling you about that. I haven't visited it very often. The last time I was there was thirty years ago when my grandfather was buried."

Sylvanas didn't say anything in return. She just stared at her lover and gave him a small smile. Kelrian returned her smile and her stare, remaining silent as well. The pleasant silence was interrupted by loud knocks at the door of Sylvanas' bedroom. "Dinner is ready," announced Janette.

"We should go then," suggested Kelrian and stood up from the couch. He pulled Sylvanas up with his left arm and put the other around her waist. A month had passed since the end of the siege of Lordaeron. As the doctor had expected, his bones had been healed and he was able to move his arm again. He was not allowed to burden it too much but he was able to do everyday things with it. Carrying things, grabbing things, writing and other activities were no problem for him. The doctor had forbidden him to train, fight and lift heavy things but other than that he could do almost everything.

He was glad that his broken arm had healed so fast. His daily life had not always been easy with only one moveable arm. The past month had not been easy for him but with the help of Sylvanas, his friends and his family he had made it through this difficult time.

His mother, his brother and his sisters felt better since the day he told them about Seitor's death. They were still sad about his death but they had gotten used to it. Some of them may still need some time to move on but Kelrian was sure all of them would accept Seitor's death sooner or later and look forward.

The war was over so a bright future was waiting for them and every citizen of the Alliance. From now on things could only get better for everyone. Kelrian was sure of that and he was rarely wrong with his assumptions. The Alliance will recover from their heavy losses and become stronger and stronger while the Horde will never recover and will be forgotten one day. He assumed that, so did Sylvanas.

The couple left the room and followed the bordering corridor to the next staircase. They walked down the stairs until they reached the first floor, then they followed the corridor on the left and arrived at the dining room. Sylvanas' father was already sitting at the table, in the middle of the room, and was reading a newspaper.

He looked up as soon as he noticed their presence, his lips formed a smile once he saw his daughter and her lover. He stood up and walked over to them, hugging and greeting Sylvanas first. Then he shook Kelrian's hand and said hello to him.

"Take a seat," Zalien said and pointed at the chairs next to him. Kelrian pulled the chair out like a real gentleman and allowed Sylvanas to take a seat, then he pulled the other chair out and sat down on it. "How are my lovely daughter and my future grandchild doing?"

Sylvanas smiled. "We are fine, thanks for asking."

"How long do we have to wait for it?"

"Less than four months."

Zalien's gaze fell on her belly which had become much rounder over the past month. "I see. We lost so many beloved members of our family, so it doesn't hurt to get offspring. Our family has to grow and make up for the losses."

"I get your point, father. But we shouldn't rush things. We have plenty of time to extend our family."

Her father chuckled. "I know, my dear. I didn't say we have to make more Windrunners within the next few years. The war is over so we have plenty of time to expand our family."

"You know it already?" she asked surprised. Her father didn't respond verbally, he just gave her a page from his newspaper and pointed at an article. "Everyone knows it."

"I received a scroll today which said the same. Why did the press know it sooner than me? Why did the scroll arrive so late?"

Zalien shrugged. "I have no idea, my dear."

"Weird."

"It doesn't really matter, does it? What matters is that the Horde is defeated and we finally have the long-awaited peace we deserve. Now we have the time to bury or burn our loved ones and let everything behind us. We can burn Lirath and the other members of our family who died that day the orcs attacked our home and our village."

"And then we can celebrate the victory," added Sylvanas.

"Exactly." Zalien's gaze fell on Kelrian who hadn't said anything yet. "What about you?"

Kelrian raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You told me that your brother died and that you have no idea when you and your family will bury him."

"I think we will bury him the day after you burned your loved ones" responded the ranger.

Zalien was silent for a few moments but then he asked the next question. "Does your family know about the baby?"

"Nobody knows about it but I will tell them soon. I will tell everyone except for my father. I don't want to tell him because I don't want to see him. His existence disgusts me. What he did to my mother is unforgivable. He manipulated her, abused her and hit her whenever she contradicted him. He is a monster and I'm glad he will never get out of his prison cell. He did horrible things. He is also responsible for Lirath's death. He made the love of my life very unhappy and I will never forgive him for that."

Zalien's eyes reflected sadness for a few moments but it vanished quickly. "He got what he deserved. He will become old and grey in this prison because he will never be able to leave it. He will die in it and never harm anyone again. He is lucky that they didn't sentence him to death because neither the king nor the judges were able to prove that he supported the Horde and told them to attack our village."

"A quick death is not always a punishment," Sylvanas threw in. "I rather want him to suffer in this prison for the rest of this life than him being gone. He should have enough time to think about his actions and regret what he did. He shall be locked in there and be unhappy while we are free and happy. We will be a family while he will be alone and has nobody who loves him and cares for him. That's the punishment he deserves."

"You are right, honey," responded Kelrian. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulled her closer and kissed her cheek softly. He nuzzled up against her and put his other hand on her belly, caressing it carefully. Sylvanas smiled so did her father as he regarded the happy couple.

"Now that the war is over, you will have more time for yourselves and our family," Sylvanas' father said.

"There are still tasks I have to do as Ranger-General but you are right. I don't have to work overtime which I always did during times of war. I will organise the return of the citizens to their homes. Prince Kael'thas already started with the rebuilding and restoration of the damaged and destroyed villages. Our people will be able to return to their homes soon and then I will have enough time for myself and the baby that will arrive in a few months. I will have enough time I can spend with Kelrian and my family," responded Sylvanas.

Zalien smiled but he didn't say anything in response. He just regarded his daughter and her boyfriend. Sylvanas' mother entered the room at this very moment. She carried a pot in her hands which she put on a round wooden cutting board in the middle of the table. She gave her husband a quick nod before she turned her head and looked at Sylvanas and Kelrian, giving them a wide smile.

She walked around the table and squatted down to hug her pregnant daughter. She put a hand on her belly and caressed it as she kissed her cheek. Then she hugged Kelrian quickly before she left the room and returned with a stack of bowls and several spoons.

She spread the bowls and the spoons and left the room once again, returning a few minutes later with Zendarin. Sylvanas' cousin greeted them and took a seat next to Sylvanas' father.

"Aren't your parents coming, Zen?" Sylvanas asked.

The mage shook his head. "They are helping Prince Sunstrider to organise the reconstruction of the destroyed military bases and outposts."

"They will draw up sketches and present the prince lots of ways the bases could look like, right?"

"Yes, they will but they are not doing this alone. They are working together with several other architects."

"I'm sure they will do a great job."

"I think the same," responded her cousin.

Lireesa removed the lid and put it next to the pot. She took the first bowls, dipped the ladle in the hot soup and poured enough of it in the bowl. She repeated that until everyone had a full bowl of soup in front of them. Kelrian regarded the content of his bowl curiously, finding out that it was a potato soup with pieces of sausage and vegetables. Lireesa was the first who wished a good appetite to everyone and the others did the same shortly after her.

Kelrian really liked the soup so he got another portion which he ate within a few minutes. The soup was well spiced and just tasted very good so everyone ate more than a few bowls of it. They had been silent as they had eaten but now where they were full, they started to talk about daily topics and the future. They were about to stand up from the table as they heard steps coming from the nearest corridor. They turned their heads and looked at the door, expecting that it would be opened soon.

Their expectations became true as a familiar person came in. It was Alleria who wore her green uniform but her hood was pulled down so her greasy blonde hair was uncovered. Her skin was dirty and she looked exhausted. Sylvanas could only guess that she had ridden for days without making long pauses. But she was not the only Windrunner who entered the dining room.

Vereesa entered the room a few seconds later. Her hood was also pulled down, her white hair was also greasy and her skin dirty. It was clearly visible that they had joined the battle and fought for the Alliance during the past weeks. Their uniforms were dirty and worn out, their skin could be seen through the several holes in the fabric. They would need new uniforms.

Lireesa approached them and wrapped both of her arms around her daughters' necks, pulling them closer to her. She didn't care that they were dirty and smelled bad. She was just glad that they made it and returned home in one piece. The siblings closed their eyes and returned the hug, rubbing the back of their mother with their hands. They opened their eyes and gave their mother tired smiles. "It's good to see you, mother," said Alleria.

"We missed you. All of you," added Vereesa.

"We missed you too, little moon," responded their mother and put her hands on their cheeks, rubbing them. "We are glad you returned uninjured."

"The battle was hard and we lost many soldiers but we won. We killed as many of these green bastards as possible."

"So, you avenged the fallen and our brother. I'm proud of you, dear sisters."

Alleria and Vereesa turned their heads to their middle sister. Sylvanas sat in front of the table so the back of her chair pointed in the direction of the door, meaning her sisters couldn't see her baby bump. They could only see her back. "You can say that but we still have to seal the Dark Portal to prevent that anyone enters our world. Who knows how many of these bastards are still on the other side of the portal? Just wait for twenty years and the orcs will have another army which will invade our world."

Sylvanas' face reflected worry. "How can we close it?"

Alleria shrugged. "I've no idea but I hope the mages in Dalaran will find a solution."

"I hope we can close it from Azeroth so we don't have to go to the portal to do it," said Lireesa.

"I hope the same," replied Alleria and hugged her father who had approached her in the meantime. They hugged each other for a few moments, then they pulled away so Zalien could hug his youngest daughter. Alleria walked over to Zendarin and greeted him properly before she shook Kelrian's hand. "I'm glad your arm is doing better, Kelrian. Turalyon told me he heard that an orc broke your arm."

"The orc was massive and broke it as if it is nothing but a toothpick but it's getting better. The doctors told me I have to wait one more month until I can really burden it again. I can train then and help wherever help is needed."

Alleria smiled. "Don't overdo it."

"Don't worry, I will take care of myself and listen to my doctor."

"I heard you did well during the battle. You killed many of these monstrosities. I assume Sylvanas is very proud of you."

Kelrian blushed a little and rubbed the back of his head. "I hope she is."

Alleria turned her head to look at her sister who was still sitting on the chair. She raised an eyebrow as she noticed that Sylvanas looked different. She blinked a few times to find out if she was hallucinating that Sylvanas had a baby bump. She didn't believe it at first but when her sister stood up and presented her belly, she was sure that what she saw was not a hallucination. It was real. Her little sister was actually pregnant.

Alleria was so surprised that she didn't know what to say but she didn't just stand there and did nothing. She approached her sister and put a hand on her belly, putting the other on her hip as she stared into Sylvanas' eyes. Sylvanas' lips formed a wide smile as she noticed the happy expression on her sister's face.

"To be honest, I didn't expect that outcome. So that was the reason why you returned to Silvermoon, right?"

Sylvanas nodded. Alleria leaned in and pressed her lips against her sister's forehead, returning her smile when she pulled away.

"Congratulations, sister," said Vereesa as she came to her older sister and put a hand on her belly. Together with Alleria, she caressed her belly carefully.

"The birth will be in less than three months, right?" asked the oldest of the Windrunner siblings.

Sylvanas shook her head. "In less than four."

Alleria's eyes reflected surprise. "Four? So, you are in the middle of your sixth month?"

Sylvanas nodded.

"But your belly is larger than it should be in the sixth month," Alleria said and looked at her mother. "What do you say, mother?"

"You are right, my dear. Now where you mentioned it, her belly actually looks bigger than it should."

"Is that a bad sign?" Sylvanas asked worriedly.

"Of course not," responded her mother and put a hand on her cheek, calming her down by caressing it. "It's not bad but it can be possible that you are expecting more than one child."

The amount of surprise that was reflected by Sylvanas' face was unmistakable. "Are you sure?"

"I'm not sure at all. I only guess but you should let someone check you. A friend of mine could use her magic to find out if you are expecting only one child or more than one."

Sylvanas was silent at first but then she gave her mother a nod.

"I will meet her today and ask her if she has time for you in the next few days."

"Do that, mother."

"More than one child? It can't get better, can it? What do you say, Sylvanas?" Alleria asked.

"I'm not sure yet but I don't think I will be unhappy. Raising two children at the same time will be a lot more difficult and stressful but I think I will handle it."

"We will" corrected Kelrian as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "I will support you and do everything you want from me. We will handle this together and be good parents."

"We know you can do it, Lady Moon," added Vereesa and smiled at Sylvanas. She hugged her and put her head on her sister's shoulder, caressing her back with her hand. They held the hug for nearly a minute.

"Why don't you take a seat and eat something? You must be really hungry," Lireesa offered to her oldest and youngest daughter.

"We would love to do that," responded Vereesa and sat down on the nearest empty chair.

Lireesa left the room and returned with two bowls and two spoons. She handed them to her daughters and told them to eat as much as they wanted. The two women thanked her and devoured the first portion. It seemed that they hadn't eaten for a while because they ate pretty fast. Their bowls were filled again but they ate much slower and fully enjoyed it this time.

"I will also run a bath for you. I'm sure you want to wash yourselves and put on new clothes."

"That would be nice, mother," responded Alleria.

Lireesa smiled. "Once you are done with everything you can tell us about the battle."

Vereesa nodded. "We would love to do that."

"Is Verena alright?" Sylvanas asked.

"She is."

"Good."

"What about Zetai?" asked Kelrian.

"He is fine too. He got wounded but the doctors have taken care of him," responded Alleria. "His wounds will heal sooner or later."

"I'm glad then."

Sylvanas and Kelrian talked to Alleria and Vereesa until the bath was ready. They waited until they had left the room and made themselves comfortable on the sofa. Sylvanas sat on Kelrian's lap who had his arms wrapped around her from behind and hugged her.

They were cuddling while Lireesa and Zalien were talking. Zendarin had returned to his room to study in his tomes about magic until someone would tell him that Alleria and Vereesa were ready to tell everyone about the final battle.


	56. More Than One?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are living in hard times. 
> 
> Stay safe guys, wash your hands very often and avoid unnecessary contact to strangers or people you barely know. Just stay home and play a good game, watch tv or read books or fanfictions. Or do something different if you don't have to work. Humanity will survive this "plague". I'm sure about it. You just have to believe guys.
> 
> I hope this chapter cheers you up a little.

"The result is unequivocal," the mage said as she wrote something on her writing pad.

"Are you sure?" asked Kelrian. Doubt was clearly hearable in his voice.

"I am," responded the mage.

"I still can't believe it. It sounds so surreal. My family consists only of priests and paladins for centuries. We never had a mage in our family. I don't understand why I should be capable of using magic. It doesn't make sense to me."

The mage shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea but the test is a clear proof that you are capable of using magic."

Kelrian was silent for a few moments because he didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to think about it. Being able to use magic was not a bad thing. On the contrary, it was a good thing. Learning how to use magic would give him advantages in daily life but also in battle. He knew that he would have to spend a lot of time on training if he wanted to become a good mage. He didn't know if he would have the time. He was working as a ranger and had a pregnant girlfriend. He wouldn't have that much time once the baby would be born.

He didn't even know if he wanted to learn how to use magic. It didn't seem real to him. Everything seemed more like a dream or a hallucination to him. He still couldn't believe that the results were positive. He would have never expected that he would be able to use magic. He had thought that Zetai had been mistaken when he had seen him throwing a fireball at the orc.

He had thought that someone else had created the fireball but now he was sure that it had been him who had done that. He still couldn't believe it. It was impossible that he could create a fireball while being throttled. He had never cast a mage spell before. The only spell he had ever cast was a spell every ranger was able to cast. Disappearing into the shadows was not easy to learn but most rangers had perfected it.

Kelrian didn't know much about science but he didn't doubt the credibility of the result of the test. He had heard people talking about the test and he had heard how the reaction of the dust had looked like. He knew that the result was legitimate and the mage was right.

"The arcane dust glowed and dissolved a few moments later when it came in contact with your skin. You are capable of magic, that's for sure. There is no other explanation why the dust reacted like this. It even reacted a lot faster than it did with others. The magic inside you is much stronger than I would have expected."

Kelrian frowned and rubbed his forehead. "I still can't believe it. My parents are servants of the light. My father is a priest and my mother is a paladin. There are no mages in our family."

"Do you know your entire family tree?"

"Well... To be honest, I don't know about the first three generations but I know about the rest."

"I assume that there must have been a mage in these three generations. And you inherited your capability of magic from that person."

Kelrian nodded at the mage. "That's the only explanation that makes sense."

"What are you going to do now?" asked the raven-haired woman.

"I have no idea, to be honest. I need time to think about it."

The mage approached him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Whenever you need someone to talk to, come to me. If you decide to start your training as a mage then come to me as well. Or you go to Dalaran and look out for a teacher. There are many powerful and friendly mages there that would love to train someone like you. It doesn't happen every day that the dust dissolves so quickly. That has to be a sign. I'm sure you can be a powerful mage if you want. Just think about everything and make a decision then. Take your time"

Kelrian gave her a small smile. "I will think about it and keep your offers in my mind. Thanks for testing me."

"You are welcome."

"I'm leaving now. My girlfriend is waiting for me."

The mage nodded. "Have a nice day."

"Thank you. You too."

Kelrian left the room without hesitation, walking through the bordering corridor until he came to the staircase. He climbed it down and walked to the next exit as fast as possible. He left the academy and followed the course of the street until he came back to the main street. The streets were still overcrowded but most people looked a lot happier than they usually looked.

He had expected that. The war was finally over after so many unnecessary lives had been taken. No soldier of the Alliance had deserved to die but many died nevertheless. But they didn't die in vain. They had given their lives to stop the Horde.

The fallen would never know that the Alliance had been successful. They would never know that those who had survived could live in peace and rebuilt everything that had been destroyed. The fallen soldiers would never be forgotten. The building of the first memorial had started a week ago. It would be erected in the middle of the Bazaar in the east of Silvermoon City.

Kelrian knew that many were still mourning for their fallen loved ones. He could see it in their eyes that they were still coping with the loss of their loved ones. But they will accept their deaths sooner or later, Kelrian was sure about that. He had mourned for his brother for a while but he had managed to accept the truth.

He had accepted that Seitor was no longer among the living. He had accepted his death and was looking forward. He still missed his brother. He missed him very badly but he had to let him go. He wouldn't be able to focus on the important things if he would always think of his brother. He had to stay focused and find out what the future was holding.

He will become a father in four months.

Everything will change after Sylvanas gave birth to their child. He would have to spend much of his free time with the baby but he didn't mind that. He was looking forward to raising a child with the woman he loved more than anyone else.

Maybe it was even more than one child. It was Alleria who had noticed first that Sylvanas' belly was much rounder than the bellies of other women in the sixth month. They couldn't exclude that Sylvanas was expecting more than one child. They had to find out how many tiny hearts were beating in Sylvanas' belly.

To do that they had to go to a doctor who would make an ultrasound with Sylvanas. And they were doing that. Kelrian was already on the way to this confidential doctor. He only had to walk for about ten minutes to reach the house he was looking for.

He came to a building with three floors, white walls and a roof covered by dark brown tiles. He didn't hesitate to walk to the entrance and entered the building quickly. He followed the corridor until he came to the reception. A young woman with short blonde hair sat there. She wore a white blouse and white trousers. She got earrings that looked like a purple crystal and a bracelet made out of small gems. Kelrian found out that her surname was Firegem.

"How can I help you, sir?" asked the receptionist.

"My partner and I have an appointment with Doctor Silverear. I assume she arrived earlier than me."

"Give me a moment, I will be back soon."

"Take your time," Kelrian said in return. The receptionist nodded and stood up, walking through the door right next to the reception. Kelrian regarded the pictures that hang on the white walls while he waited for her return. The woman returned a few minutes later and pointed at the door out of which she had just appeared. "Follow this corridor until you reach room sixty-nine. Doctor Silverear and your partner are already waiting for you."

Kelrian gave her a nod. "Thank you."

She smiled. "I'm just doing my job."

Kelrian didn't say anything in return. He just followed the corridor until he reached the room the woman had told him knocked at it, hearing a modulated voice that told him to come in. He obeyed and closed the door behind him. His gaze fell on the desk behind which a person was sitting. It was a woman with long, curly brown hair and round glasses. She wore a white doctor gown and white trousers, a stethoscope hung around her neck and a pencil stuck behind her ear.

She was leaning forward, her arms rested on her desk and she gesticulated as she talked to Sylvanas who was sitting on one of the two chairs in front of the desk. The doctor turned her head to look at Kelrian, so did Sylvanas who turned her upper body to the left so she could have a better look at her lover.

Kelrian nodded to her and sat down on the chair next to her, giving her a smile. She enclosed the distance between their faces and pressed her lips against his, greeting him appropriately. Kelrian returned the kiss even though he felt a bit uncomfortable kissing her in front of a person he didn't know.

He still hadn't gotten used to their decision to make things between them official. He would be able to kiss her in public as soon as everyone knew about them. They wouldn't need to hide anymore and could show their feelings for the other even outside a closed room. They could show everyone that they loved each other. Kelrian loved that idea. Nevertheless, he felt a bit uncomfortable at the moment but he was sure he would get used to it sooner or later.

He felt the tip of Sylvanas' tongue licking over his bottom lip. He couldn't resist her so he parted his lips and allowed her to insert her tongue in her mouth. The passionate kiss they shared was only a few seconds long but it was enough for them for the moment. They parted and turned their heads to look at the doctor who was smiling at them.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about you. My lips are sealed so are Liviana's."

"Liviana is the girl at the reception," explained Sylvanas.

"I guessed that," replied Kelrian.

"Now that everyone is here, we can start."

"Yes, please."

The doctor got up and pointed at the daybed. "Feel free to lie down on it, Ranger-General."

"Please call me by my first name."

"As you wish, Sylvanas."

Sylvanas smiled. "Better."

The doctor returned her smile and walked to the daybed. Kelrian guided Sylvanas over to it and helped her to lie down in a comfortable position. The doctor put a small pillow beneath her head so Sylvanas could lie more comfortably. She waited until Sylvanas had opened her coat and pulled her top up to reveal her swollen belly. The doctor spread a transparent gelon her belly and laid a pink coloured crystal on it. She closed her eyes and muttered a few phrases, opening her eyes once she was done.

Kelrian turned his head and regarded the projection on the opposite wall. He could see something but he couldn't tell what it was because the projection was unclear. Doctor Silverear moved the crystal a little until the projection was clear. Sylvanas' eyes widened in surprise. Her sister's assumption had turned out to be true. There were two well-developed foetuses. She could see their tiny heads, their arms and even their legs. She couldn't see their genders because the babies were holding their hands between their legs.

Sylvanas' heart was beating rapidly in her chest. She was happier than ever. She was allowed to have two babies at the same time. Two babies would mean more stress and she would have to feel the pain of giving birth two times in total but she didn't care about that at the moment. She was so happy at the moment that she didn't think about anything else but the children she would have in a few months.

Kelrian was holding Sylvanas' hand and running his thumb over the back of her hand. He was also happy but too surprised to say anything. He was silent and just stared at Sylvanas who regarded the projection for a few more minutes before she averted her gaze and looked at him. She mimicked his smile and stared into his eyes. "There are no words that can explain how happy I am at this moment."

"I feel the same, my love."

Doctor Silverear also smiled. "I'm happy for you. I'm sure you will be excellent parents and your children will be happy to have you."

"I hope that," said Sylvanas.

"I can't determine the genders at the moment. You can come to me in a few days and we can see if the babies reveal their genders to us this time."

"No, I don't want to find it out. I want to be surprised," responded Sylvanas.

The doctor nodded. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Sylvanas looked at Kelrian who shook his head. She looked back at the doctor who was giving her an expecting look. "Not at the moment."

"If you need help or have any problem just come to me. You don't even have to make an appointment first. Just tell Liviana that you want to see me."

Sylvanas gave her a thankful nod. "We will do that. Thank you, Doctor Silverear."

"You can call me Ferea if you want."

"I will."

"If there is nothing else you want to talk about, then you can go if you want," Ferea said.

"Thank you for your service, Ferea."

"You are welcome, Sylvanas."

"We will go then."

Ferea smiled. "I won't stop you."

Sylvanas shook the doctor's hand. "Have a nice day."

"You too."

Sylvanas nodded to her and stood up from the daybed, wrapping her coat around her body. She signalized Kelrian to go to the door. He did that and opened it, allowing Sylvanas to go through it. He waved the doctor goodbye before he left the room and closed the door behind him.

"Should we leave the building separately or do we go together?" Kelrian asked.

"We decided to not hide anymore, didn't we?" Sylvanas asked as she stared into his eyes.

"We did. You are right, my love."

"We will go to my house together. I don't care that people will see us together. They will find out soon that I'm pregnant and count two and two together. They will find out at the latest when I appear at the victory celebration in an outfit that can't hide my belly. I don't mind them finding out about us sooner."

"I'm glad about that. I don't want to hide any longer. I want to be able to spend time with you in public and even kiss you or hold hands with you in public. I'm tired of hiding and being your secret lover. I don't want to brag about you in front of others but I don't want to keep our relationship secret. I just want that everyone knows you are already spoken for. You are mine and they have to get used to that. Your admirers should stop trying to chat you up."

Sylvanas smiled and put her hands on his cheeks. "Don't worry, their attempts are always unsuccessful. I just ignore them most of the times or tell them politely that I'm not interested. But don't forget that you will get more unwanted attention once we make it official."

"I'm sure I can handle it."

"I think the same."

Kelrian put a hand on her belly. "These tiny little creatures will change everything. Our lives won't be the same after you gave birth to them."

Sylvanas smiled widely. "I know but I don't mind that. I'm looking forward to raising them with you."

Kelrian lowered his head and placed a soft kiss on his lover's right cheek. "So am I. I'm sure we will be good parents."

"I believe the same, my love."

Kelrian mimicked her happy smile.

"Does your family know about me and our future children?"

Kelrian shook his head. "I haven't told them yet but I will tell them soon."

"Shall I come with you then?"

Kelrian made a thoughtful face and was silent for a few moments. "Now that we want to make things official, I can introduce you to them and we can tell them about our babies."

"That's a good idea, Kel. Why don't we have dinner with them?"

"Sounds great. So, you want to invite them to your place?"

"Yes, that sounds good. We should do that."

"My mother already knows that I have a girlfriend but she doesn't know who it is. I will tell her that my girlfriend is inviting her and the rest of our family to dinner. I will tell her that I want to introduce you and your family to them"

"Yeah, say it like that. I hope your mother accepts the invitation."

Kelrian put a hand on her cheek as he spotted the small amount of insecurity in her eyes. He stared into these blue orbs and made all worry and insecurity disappear. "I'm sure she will. She wants only the best for her children and she told me several times that she wants to get known to you. She is still coping with Seitor's death so is the rest of my family, that's why I believe hearing such good news will cheer them up. I'm sure my mother will be happy when she finds out that she is going to be a grandmother. She always told me she wanted to have grandchildren."

"I hope your mother will accept and like me."

"You are the Ranger-General of Silvermoon, of course, she likes you. Everybody likes you and I'm sure she will also like you as a private person. She will also like Sylvanas and not only the Ranger-General. I'm sure about that."

Sylvanas smiled and stepped on her tiptoes, pressing her lips against Kelrian's. The ranger didn't hesitate to return the kiss, putting one hand on the back of her head as he deepened the kiss. They heard quiet footsteps but they didn't stop kissing. Normally, they would have pulled away to hide their relationship. But since they had decided to no longer hide it, they didn't need to pull away. They didn't stop kissing, not even when no more footsteps could be heard.

They only pulled away when they ran out of air and their lungs started to hurt. They took deep breaths, staring in each other's eyes for a few moments before they turned around to look at the person who was standing not far away from them. The person had turquoise coloured hair and her eyes were widened. Kelrian was unable to tell if they were widened in shock or in surprise.

He only knew one thing. Elena hadn't expected to see them kissing. Her mouth was open but no words escaped her lips. She was just standing there and staring at them as if she had seen a ghost.

"Is everything okay?" Sylvanas asked as she came closer and waved her hand in front of the ranger's eyes. The female ranger came back to reality and blinked a few times as if she was testing whether she was really seeing what was in front of her eyes or if everything was just a hallucination. Unfortunately for Elena, what she was seeing was not a hallucination. Everything was real. The man she loved had just kissed the Ranger-General in front of her eyes.

She realized that he had said the truth when he had told her in the past that he was in a relationship. Elena was not angry but jealous. Jealous and shocked. Her mind was blank. She didn't know what to say so she just stood there and did nothing except staring at the Ranger-General who gave her a curious look. Sylvanas wrapped her arm around Kelrian's waist and pulled him closer to her. "Can I help you somehow, Ranger Elena?"

Elena didn't react at first but then she shook her head and turned around, walking away as fast as possible.

"Weird," muttered Kelrian as he watched her leave. He turned his head, spotting the amused smile on his lover's lips.

"At least she won't chat you up anymore. I hope that at least."

Kelrian placed a kiss on her forehead. "Even if she would try it, I would reject her and tell her that I'm already spoken for."

"I hope she stops trying to win you for her and looks out for someone else. I don't want her to keep trying to make you fall for her."

Kelrian raised an eyebrow. "Are you jealous?"

Sylvanas' lips were pressed together. "A little maybe," she admitted.

Kelrian chuckled. "You have no reason to. There is already one woman who keeps me on the go. I don't need another one who just wants to make love with me whenever she can," he joked.

Sylvanas hit his shoulder playfully. "I'm only so horny because of the hormones. You know me very well. Normally, I don't need to have sex that often. But since I became pregnant, I want to do it way more often than usual."

Kelrian ran his fingers over her jawline. "I know, my dear. I didn't say I'm not enjoying it, did I?"

The pregnant woman smirked. "I noticed that you enjoy making love to me. I enjoy it the same way as you do."

Kelrian leaned in until his mouth was very close to her ear. "I know. The way you scream my name when you come and the way you look at me when you are horny prove that."

Sylvanas grinned but didn't say anything in return. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, placing kisses along his jawline. She pulled away eventually and smiled at him. "We should leave the doctor's office and go to my house."

"I will follow you wherever you go, my love. I would follow you until the end of the world."

"You are so sweet, my dear."

"So you are."

Sylvanas took his hand and they walked through the corridor until they came to the waiting room. They ignored the surprised and curious expressions on the faces of the waiting men, women and children. Janette stood up from her chair and walked over to her boss. "Are we leaving?" she asked.

"Yes, we are," responded Sylvanas.

"I got everything you wanted from the pharmacy," Janette responded and pointed at the bag in her hand.

"Thank you, Janette."

The redhead gave her a smile and blushed a little. She didn't hesitate to follow the Ranger-General and her lover as they walked out of the room hand in hand. They left the office and walked through the streets of Silvermoon.

As expected, most people were surprised to see them acting like a normal couple. Their gazes rested on them but Sylvanas didn't mind that. She was used to getting the attention of everyone around her. She was used to that but Kelrian wasn't. Usually, he never was in the limelight. He was not used to hundreds of pairs of eyes resting on him.

They heard whisperings. People were talking about them quietly. Sylvanas turned her head and looked at Kelrian, on whose forehead a frown was visible. She noticed that he had no idea what he should do. He was overtaxed with the entire situation. Sylvanas' eyes wandered over the crowd that had formed around them. Numerous curious pairs of eyes rested on them.

She looked at Janette who gave her an understanding nod. Her favourite employee cleared a path for them so the couple could continue walking without being stopped by the spectators. They walked and walked until they arrived at her house.

They didn't hesitate to go to the second floor and follow the corridor until they arrived at Sylvanas' room. They entered it and walked over to the sofa, lying down on it. Sylvanas was lying on Kelrian who had wrapped his arms and legs around her. His head rested on her shoulder, his hands laid on her belly.

"Twins," Sylvanas said eventually. "I can't believe we are getting twins."

"Are you happy about it?"

Sylvanas turned her head so she could look at the man who was holding her. "Of course I am. And you?"

"I'm happy too. Two children will be more stressful but I'm sure we can handle them."

Sylvanas smiled. "I think the same."

"Now that the Horde is defeated, we can plan our future together."

"Yes, we can do that and we should do that. We decided to make things official so there is nothing which speaks against you moving in. It's better for us and the babies if we live together."

Kelrian pressed a soft kiss on her lips. "I love the idea of living together with you."

"I'm glad my dear. There is much more we have to talk about."

"You mean who stays home with the babies?" he asked curiously.

Sylvanas chuckled. "You are reading my mind, my dear."

"The war is over but there will still be plenty of work for you, right?"

"Probably. I had the idea that we take turns, depends on how much I have to do. If I have much to do, I go to my office and work while you stay home. And when I'm not too busy I stay at home. If I don't have to do much, I will do my work at home even with crying babies that will distract me from time to time. I only need my peace when I have lots of work to do," Sylvanas explained.

"I understand that."

"Do you agree with my suggestion?"

Kelrian put a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "I do."

"So we have cleared everything up, right?"

"Yeah. There is something I want to inform you about," Kelrian responded.

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow and gave him a curious look. "Go ahead."

Kelrian exalted. "It seems that I'm capable of using magic."

Sylvanas' facial expression was full of surprise. She couldn't believe it at first but the serious expression on his face told her that he was not joking.

"Magic?" she asked, doubt was still hearable in her voice. "Are you sure?"

Kelrian nodded. "I was as surprised as you are now. The mage who tested me told me that the results are unequivocal. Zetai also told me that he saw me creating a fireball when the orc throttled me. He told me that he wouldn't have been able to save me if I wouldn't have ignited the orc and distracted him that way. Nevertheless, I can't believe that I created such a complicated technique without having learned it. It's also strange that I managed to do that while I was close to death. Normally, mages need to concentrate themselves to use magic like this. But I didn't. It's so weird..."

A thoughtful look could be seen on Sylvanas' face. "That's...very interesting."

"It is. I have no idea what to think of it. I mean, it's not a bad thing. It only has advantages when I learn how to use it. On the other hand, I have to spend a lot of time if I want to learn how to control my magic properly. Time will be lacking elsewhere then."

"The war is over so not every ranger will be needed as soon as the villages and bases are rebuilt. Other rangers can go on patrols or stay in the villages and the bases and look over them. If you want you can seek out a mage teacher who teaches you how to control your magic. You can even go to Dalaran if you want. You find the best of the best there."

"I will think about it. Thanks for the advices, my dear."

Sylvanas smirked. "You are always welcome."

"I'm glad I have you."

Sylvanas pressed her lips against his. "So am I."


	57. Dinner

"This is the Ranger-General's house, isn't it?" asked Liana as she gave her son a curious look.

"It is, mother," Kelrian responded.

"Didn't you tell us that you want to introduce us to your girlfriend?"

Kelrian gave her a small smile. "I did."

His mother raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand."

"You will find it out soon. Just be patient."

His mother gave him a nod. She had a premonition but she didn't want to jump to conclusions, so she didn't say anything and waited instead. Kelrian opened the garden gate and allowed his mother and his siblings to walk through it. He closed it behind him and walked over to the house's door, knocking at it. He didn't need to wait too long until it was opened. Janette greeted them and allowed them to come in, telling them to follow her.

They walked through a long corridor and arrived in a room that was furnished like a living room. Kelrian's family regarded the furniture, the paintings on the walls and the other pieces of decoration closely for a few moments before they turned around and looked back at their guide. Janette smiled at them and signalized them to come with her. She led the group to the next room which was furnished like a dining room.

There was a long table at which at least twelve persons could sit at the same time. It was covered by a white tablecloth and dishes. The cutlery had already been placed on top of the table. There were even glasses for everyone. Only the food itself was missing.

Vereesa was the only person in the room so far. She was already sitting on a chair and was staring in the air as if she was thinking about something. She turned her head as soon as she noticed the arrival of the guests. She stood up and walked over to the group, shaking Kelrian's hand first as she greeted him.

"It's an honour for me to meet you," said Liana as she greeted the famous Ranger-Lieutenant. Everyone else greeted her and shook her hand. "The others are coming soon. You can take a seat in the meantime or you wait until everyone has arrived. It's up to you."

"We don't mind waiting," responded Liana.

And they didn't need to wait too long. Zalien appeared a few minutes later, greeting everyone. Liana assumed that one of the two remaining Windrunner siblings was Kelrian's girlfriend. There was no other person who could be his girlfriend. If it would be Vereesa he would have already introduced her as his girlfriend. Alleria appeared a few moments later and greeted them. She greeted Kelrian casually and didn't behave as if she was in love with him, so Liana came to the conclusion that it was not Alleria either.

It could only be Sylvanas. She was already surprised even though Kelrian had not even confirmed her assumption. It surprised her that the famous Ranger-General was in a relationship with her son. Kelrian was a wonderful man and a very good partner but she had never expected that he would come together with Sylvanas Windrunner.

She had never expected that but she was happy for him. Kelrian deserved every woman in the world. He deserved to be happy. He was a good guy and never did anything wrong.

Liana's eyes widened as Sylvanas entered the room. She looked stunningly beautiful as always but she had changed a lot. She was no longer slim but she was not fat either. She was obviously pregnant. Her baby bump was large, round and unmissable. Liana guessed she was in her sixth month. She couldn't know yet that Sylvanas was only in her fifth month but her belly was still so big because she was carrying out two babies instead of only one.

Before Liana was able to assimilate everything she was seeing, Sylvanas came over to her and her family and shook their hands. Everyone lowered their heads in respect and greeted the Ranger-General properly.

"Please call me Sylvanas. We are going to be a family after all," she said as she wrapped her arm around Kelrian's upper body and stepped on her tiptoes to press a kiss on his cheek. Kelrian wrapped his arm around her waist and put a hand on her belly, caressing it carefully.

Liana's lips were parted but no words escaped her lips. She was so surprised that she wasn't able to say anything. She needed a few minutes to assimilate everything. But Sydori was able to say something. She gave them a happy smile and congratulated them. "I can't believe my little brother is going to be a father soon. I can't believe either that he is together with the most beautiful woman on Azeroth."

The couple smiled at her. "Your brother is a wonderful man. I'm glad that I have him," said Sylvanas.

"I thought until this day that you are only interested in women," admitted the priestess.

Sylvanas smiled. "I'm sorry to disappoint you on this matter."

"How long do we have to wait until the baby's birth?" asked Cincia.

"Less than four months and it's not only one baby," responded Sylvanas.

"Twins?" Liana asked curiously. She wasn't able to hide how surprised she was.

Sylvanas nodded and smiled at the mother of her lover.

The former paladin gave them a happy and wide smile. "I'm so happy for you. I wish I could say more than that and tell you how happy I feel at the moment but somehow I'm unable to express myself properly."

"It's okay, mother. You don't have to describe to us how you feel. We can already see it in your eyes that you are very happy."

"I still can't believe that I'm going to be a grandmother in a few months. I would have never thought that you would be the one who would be the first to become a father. I always expected that Sydori or Seitor would be the first ones."

Kelrian rubbed the back of his head. "I haven't expected it either. Our babies weren't planned but we are looking forward to raising them."

"I'm sure you will be great parents. Feel free to come to me whenever you need advices."

"The same counts for us. We will also help you whenever we can," said a familiar feminine voice. Everyone turned around and caught sight of Lireesa who had just entered the room and was holding a large cooking pot in her hands. She walked over to the table and placed it in the middle.

"We will," said Sylvanas after everyone had greeted her.

She left the room and returned with more, much smaller cooking pots. She put them on the table and signalized everyone to take a seat. Liana put the bottles of wine, she had brought as a gift for the family of Kelrian's lover, somewhere on the table and took a seat. Everyone had found a seat, so Lireesa announced that everyone was allowed to take as much as they wanted. She had cooked enough food for everyone.

Roasted chicken, soups, spaghetti, salads and many other dishes could be found on the table. There was something for everyone. Sylvanas started with a nice vegetarian soup and then ate a salad while Kelrian had gone without a starter and chosen roasted chicken instead. The food was delicious as always when Lireesa cooked.

Lireesa was not able to fight anymore because of her disease but she had found another hobby. She loved to cook things and she was pretty good at it. Her family and the guests loved their food and they didn't hesitate to express it, receiving a thankful smile form Lireesa. They ate the food in pleasure and were silent for the first few minutes before they started to talk about random topics.

"You will continue as Ranger-General?" Liana asked after a while.

Sylvanas nodded. "Yes, I want that."

"Do you want to stay at home with your children or go to work after a few months or a year?"

"We thought about taking turns, depends on how much work I have to do. Sometimes I will stay home for a few weeks and sometimes Kelrian will stay home and take care of the little ones."

"Sounds like a good solution."

Sylvanas smiled. "It does."

"Will you live together?"

Kelrian nodded. "We will."

"Here in Silvermoon or in Windrunner Spire?"

Everyone was looking at them because they were curious to hear the answer. "We haven't thought about it yet," admitted Sylvanas. "Silvermoon City would be better because I do most of my work there. I also have to meet the king and the prince very often and discuss things with them. But I would prefer Windrunner Spire because I could see my family every day. I have to think about it."

"It's your decision, honey. We wouldn't be mad if you would decide to live in Silvermoon," responded Sylvanas' mother. "On the other hand, you could see us more often when you would live in Windrunner Spire and I could see my grandchildren more often. Suncrown Village is closer to Windrunner Spire than to Silvermoon City, so Kelrian's family wouldn't have to travel so far to see yours and Kelrian's children."

"I think the same, Sylvie," said her father.

Sylvanas gave them an agreeing nod and looked at Kelrian. "What do you say, honey?"

"I love the idea of living together with your family. We could also live in Silvermoon with the kids but it would be pretty boring then, wouldn't it? The house is too large for us and two babies. I think we should move to your parents' house as soon as it is repaired," Kelrian responded.

Sylvanas smiled. "Alright, it's decided then."

Lireesa put her hand on her daughter's shoulder and patted it softly. "I'm happy about that."

"We are happy that you two found each other and start a family together," said Alleria. "Now you can have the same joys that I have as a mother. Raising a child is the best thing in the world."

"I agree on that," added Liana.

The two families started to talk again about random topics, they even talked after they were done with eating. They got known to each other. Sylvanas and Kelrian were happy that their families got along well. They wanted nothing more than living together in peace and raise their children during peaceful times.

They were tired of wars. They didn't want to fight anymore. They just wanted to live together until they would become old and grey. Unending peace was all they wanted. Everyone wanted that. Every citizen of Quel'Thalas. Not only them. Every citizen of the Alliance of Lordaeron wanted to have peace. Now that the Horde was defeated, they could finally have their desired peace.

The families talked until nightfall. Some of them had drunk too many glasses of alcohol,so Sylvanas allowed them to stay for the night. Kelrian's family thanked her and followed Janette who would bring them to their rooms.

"You didn't tell your family about your newest discovery," Sylvanas mentioned as soon as she had brought Kelrian to her room.

"I will tell them tomorrow."

"Why didn't you tell them today?"

"Because I didn't want to ruin the good mood," he responded and stared out of the window.

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow. "Why would it ruin the mood? I don't get it."

Kelrian hesitated for a moment. "I never told you this but my father once claimed that I'm not his son. He told me he found out that I'm not his son. I didn't believe him but I still asked my mother about this and she promised me that Xenarion is my father. Unfortunately. Now that I found out that I'm capable of magic it doesn't seem too far-fetched that someone else could be my father. Maybe a powerful mage was my father. According to the mage who tested me, my magic is very strong. What if Xenarion was not lying and my father is a powerful mage. Xenarion is right that I don't look similar to him or my siblings. Don't you think that?"

Sylvanas stepped beside him and wrapped her arms around him, turning him around so she could look into his eyes. A thoughtful look could be seen on her face. "I'm afraid but I have to agree with your father that he and your siblings don't look similar to you but that doesn't have to mean anything. Vereesa looks similar to me but her hair colour is different than mine. My parents have golden-blonde hair and Vereesa still has natural silver-coloured hair. It's not unlikely that a child looks different from its siblings. You have to consider that you also have the genes of your ancestors in you. Maybe you look similar to them."

"I saw pictures and drawings of my ancestors. I don't look similar to the ancestors of my father. I only look similar to the ancestors of my mother. I share similarities in appearance with her father, my grandfather," responded Kelrian.

"I don't know what to say, Kel. Would you rather want to have him as a father or do want someone else you never met before?"

Kelrian was silent for a few moments. "To be honest, I would rather have a different father. Anyone is better than this asshole. Sometimes, I wish he is right but that would also mean that my mother lied to me. I don't mind that she had an affair with someone else. Everyone else is better than my father. He mistreated her so he deserved to be cheated on. I'm glad that my mother had someone she enjoyed being together with. That way, she was at least a little happy.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't be happy that she lied to me all the time and lied when I asked her about the truth. But I think I would forgive her in the end. She only wants the best for her children. She is a good mother and will always be a good mother, no matter what will happen. I will tell her what I found out and then I see how she reacts."

"Shall I be with you when you confront her?" Sylvanas asked.

Kelrian put a hand on her cheek and caressed it. "That would be nice."

Sylvanas smiled but didn't say anything.

"What do we do now?"

Sylvanas smirked. "I know how to make this day end perfectly"

Kelrian raised an eyebrow and gave her a curious look. "You do?"

His lover nodded. "But we have to be quiet."

Kelrian smirked. "I can be quiet."

"I hope that for you."

* * *

Kelrian covered his mouth with his hand but it was already too late. Sylvanas had already heard his yawn and turned her head to him. He was sitting at the edge of the bed and stared out of the window.

"Good morning, my dear," Sylvanas said and smiled at him.

Kelrian turned his upper body a little and looked at her, giving her a similar smile. Sylvanas was lying in her bed, her body was covered by her blue blanket. "Good morning my love. Did you sleep well?"

"I did. Thanks for asking."

He crawled over to her and sat down beside her, putting his hands on her cheeks. He didn't hesitate to lean in and seal his lips on hers, smiling into the kiss as Sylvanas returned it. The kiss became steamy and passionate and ended as they pulled away because they had run out of oxygen. They were breathing heavily and stared into each other's eyes. "That's a good morning kiss I really enjoy. You can greet me more often like this."

Kelrian smiled. "I will."

Sylvanas crawled on top of his lap, wrapped her arms around his shoulders and put her head on his chest. She closed her eyes and enjoyed his presence, listening to his slow and steady breaths. Kelrian ran his fingers through her hair, putting kisses on her forehead from time to time. He enjoyed having Sylvanas on his lap and holding her and he was sure she enjoyed it as well. She wouldn't sit on his lap if she wouldn't enjoy it.

He ran his hand over her bare back, inhaling her natural scent. He didn't smell the scent of her perfume but the scent of sweat instead. Last night had been a wild night but still a quiet night. As Kelrian had promised, no sound had escaped his lips and he had made sure that no sound had escaped Sylvanas lips. He had covered her mouth with his hand while he had made love to her.

Sylvanas couldn't get enough of him because of her hormones which were driving her crazy from time to time. She couldn't stop seducing him whenever they were alone. He didn't mind that. On the contrary, he loved it. He loved to enter Sylvanas' thin cave and make her feel good. He knew they wouldn't have much time for sex once the babies were born so he did it with Sylvanas whenever she was in the mood, which she was very often lately.

"Are you hungry?" he asked eventually.

"I am."

"Shall we go downstairs and get some breakfast?"

"I want to take a bath first."

Kelrian nodded. "Shall I join you?"

Sylvanas smirked. "Of course."

"I will run a bath then if you allow me to get up."

"But I like to sit on your lap and run my fingers over your bare skin," she said and ran her hand over his muscular chest.

"Then I can't run a bath for us," he responded.

"I didn't say I want to take a bath now. Let's wait for a few more minutes."

"A few more minutes," he repeated.

The few minutes turned into nearly an hour in which Sylvanas had sat on her lover's lap and cuddled with him. She had kissed him, ran her fingers through his hair and caressed his soft skin with her hands. Kelrian had done nothing except for caressing her back and toying with her hair. He had returned her kisses and enjoyed her presence but other than that he had just sat there and had allowed his lover to touch him.

Sylvanas stood up eventually and allowed her lover to let his eyes roam over her beautiful pregnant nude form before she walked towards the bathroom that bordered to her bedroom, signalizing him to follow her. He didn't dare to let her wait so he got up and followed her. He knew her eyes rested on him as he walked over to her. Like her, he was not wearing anything but he was not feeling cold. Even if he would feel cold, he wouldn't mind it because they were about to take a hot bath.

Kelrian turned the valve on as soon as he reached the put a squirt of a purple liquid in the tub to make sure they could relax in a bubble bath, then he walked back to his lover. He put his arm around Sylvanas' waist and regarded the tub being filled with water slowly. Sylvanas leaned against him and did the same.

They waited until the tub was full, then they climbed in. Kelrian sat at the bottom and Sylvanas sat on top of him. He had wrapped his arms around her and caressed her belly. Sylvanas had her eyes closed as she enjoyed the warm water and the soft touch of her boyfriend.

They enjoyed each other's presence for a while, then they washed and fooled around a little until they decided to leave the tub. They dried themselves and blow-dried their hair. They put on casual clothes and made sure that their hair sat perfectly before they left the room.

They arrived in the dining room a few minutes later. They spotted Lireesa and Liana who were sitting at the table and talking about something. The two women turned their heads and greeted the couple. Kelrian and Sylvanas greeted them in return and sat down on the chairs besides Liana.

"Did you sleep well?" asked Lireesa.

Sylvanas looked at Kelrian for a short moment then she looked at her mother. "We did, thanks for asking."

"And you?" Kelrian asked.

"I slept well," responded Liana.

"So did I," said Lireesa.

"I'm glad then," he replied and let his gaze wander over the plates that stood on the table. There were slices of bread with various toppings, cut vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes or radishes and there was even a bowl of fruits.

"Feel free to eat everything you want," said Lireesa.

Sylvanas nodded to her and put enough food on her table that someone could think she hadn't eaten for days. The truth was that she was just pregnant and very hungry because of that. She could eat and eat and didn't gain weight. She only gained weight because of the babies that became larger and heavier over time.

Kelrian, on the other hand, only took two slices of smeared bread and some vegetables. Lireesa handed them two cups and filled them with warm milk, receiving thankful nods. Kelrian and Sylvanas were silent while they ate but they were holding hands and looked at each other. Lireesa and Liana continued to talk about random topics.

"Do you have any baby names in mind?" Liana asked after a while.

"Not yet. We haven't thought about it yet, to be honest."

"You should do it sooner or later. You need to find a name when they are born at the latest."

Sylvanas smiled. "Don't worry about that. We will think about baby names. We will have lots of time for it once the funerals and the victory celebration are over."

Liana nodded but didn't say anything in return. Kelrian and the three women remained silent for a while. The silence was pleasant but Kelrian still broke it because he wanted to tell his mother something. "I went to a mage who tested me if I'm capable of using magic," he announced.

His mother raised an eyebrow and gave him a curious but also irritated look. "You did that? Why?"

"My best friend told me that he saw me creating a fireball during the battle of Lordaeron. I didn't believe him at first because it sounded absurd. I ignored it at first but I couldn't stop thinking about it so I made this test," he explained.

"I assume you want to tell me that the results are positive," Liana responded and bit her bottom lip nervously.

Kelrian nodded. He didn't say anything and just regarded his mother closely. He was curious about how she would react. She looked a bit insecure but other than that nothing changed in her expression. Kelrian assumed that she knew something. Something that might interest him.

"Is there anything you want to tell me, mother?" he asked. He didn't sound reproachful but polite and calm.

Liana didn't say anything at first. She remained silent and stared at her plate as she considered what she should say in return. She looked up eventually. "I went to my doctor a few weeks ago and made a test. What Xenarion had said had made me doubt everything."

"The doctor tested if Xenarion is my father, right?"

Liana nodded.

"Do you have the results?"

"I have but I haven't opened them yet. The closed envelope still lays in a drawer in my room."

Kelrian was silent for a few moments. "Would you open it now and show me the results?"

Liana nodded. "The test won't tell you who your real father is if Xenarion isn't your father. It only tells us if he is your father or not."

"I want to know it nevertheless."

Liana sighed. "I will go to my room and get it then."

Kelrian's facial expression was neutral as he nodded at her.

Liana got up from her chair and left the room, returning a few minutes later. She stared at the envelope for a few moments before she put it in front of him. Kelrian turned his head and looked at Sylvanas who gave him a worried look. "Are you sure you want to know it?" the Ranger-General asked.

"I do. I don't want to be the son of this bastard," he looked at his mother and stared in her eyes. "I wouldn't really mind if I have a different father. On the contrary, I would be happy to know that this piece of shit didn't father me. I would just be curious who my real father would be. Is there a possibility that you had something with a man who could have fathered me? I wouldn't be mad at you, just you know. Xenarion mistreated you and abused you so it's only understandable that you searched comfort in someone else's arms."

Liana didn't respond verbally. She just pointed at the envelope and signalized him to open it. Kelrian noticed that his heart was beating much faster and his hands were shaking a little as he took the envelope in his hands. He ran his fingers over the paper before he opened it and took the letter out. He started to read it and handed it over to his mother when he was done.

His heart was still beating rapidly in his chest and his hands were still shaking but he felt a lot more relaxed than before. His breathing slowed down and his heart stopped hammering eventually. The discovery of the truth allowed him to relax. He had no longer a reason to be worried and nervous.

"Xenarion is not the father," Liana said quietly as she put the letter on the table.

Kelrian smiled. "You can't imagine how happy I am that I'm not related to this bastard."

Liana's expression was full of surprise. He had told her that he wouldn't be mad at her but she still hadn't believed it until this very moment. She had expected him to react differently. But he had reacted differently. He was not disappointed in her. He was just happy.

"Xenarion is not the father...," Sylvanas started and paused for a few moments before she continued. "But who is it then?" Sylvanas took Kelrian's hand and intertwined their fingers. He looked at her for a short moment before he looked back at his mother. Liana shrugged. "I'm afraid to say this but I have no idea. I would have never expected that he wouldn't be the father."

"Does this mean that you had no secret affair?" Kelrian asked.

She shook her head. "Well, no affairs but...," she stopped speaking.

"But what?"

Liana exhaled slowly. "There are some nights I can't remember. Some nights in which I went to a tavern, when your father was visiting Silvermoon City or another village, and drank a little and talked to random people. It may be possible that I drank too much and had some fun with one of the other guests..."

"So my father is a random person you met in the local tavern?" Kelrian asked. His face reflected no emotions. The expression he made was unreadable so nobody knew how he was feeling at the moment. Liana couldn't know if her son was mad, disappointed or even sad. She had no idea how he was feeling at the moment. There were a lot of ways how he might react. She would have never expected that he would remain so calm.

"You can tell me if you are disappointed in me or mad at me. I can understand that."

Kelrian gave his mother a comforting smile. "Don't worry, mother. I rather want to have a father I don't know than a father who is a real asshole like Xenarion. I'm very happy that he is not my father. He didn't spend much time with me and treated me like a lesser creature since I failed the priest exam. I don't need him or a father in general. I have you and that's all that matters."

Liana still couldn't believe he was not mad at her but she was glad about that. She had been afraid he would be disappointed in her and never speak to her again. Fortunately for her, it didn't turn out that way. "You don't want to know who your father is?"

The ranger shook his head. "I'm happy with how things are now. The war is over, most members of my family survived and I will live together with the most beautiful woman on Azeroth. We will have two beautiful children who will become famous and skilful rangers one day. Just like their mother. Lots of things await me so I don't want to make things complicated by searching for a man I never met in my life. A man who doesn't care about me. A man who was not there for me when I grew up. I don't want anything to change. Things are perfect as they are now."

He averted his gaze as he received a small smile from his mother and looked at his lover. Sylvanas smiled as well and closed the distance between them, pressing her lips against his. He returned the kiss and allowed her tongue to explore her mouth, doing the same with hers. They shared a very passionate kiss which took their breaths away. They stared into each other's eyes for a while, forgetting about the two women who were sitting at the same table as them.

The couple averted their gazes after a while and found out that they were sitting alone at the table. "It seems that our mothers have other things to do," said Sylvanas.

"At least they put plates for the others on the table. I wonder when they will wake up."

"Shall we wake them now?" asked Sylvanas.

Kelrian looked at the clock at the nearest wall. "It's already eleven o'clock in the morning. I think it's time that they get up and eat something."

"You are right, my dear."

Kelrian got up and put a kiss on her forehead. "Wait here for me, my love. I will return soon."

Sylvanas smiled. "See you soon, babe."

Kelrian returned her smile and gave her a peck on the lips before he walked out of the room and left her alone.


	58. Funerals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the last emotional chapter of the story. The last two remaining chapters will be a lot happier and put an end to this story.
> 
> But don't worry.
> 
> There will be a sequel which takes place during the Third War. Basically, the events of Warcraft 3 and Burning Crusade + Wrath of the Lich King. It will be an Alternative Universe, that's for sure. I might give you more details at the end of Chapter 60.

You don't have to join us. I told you that you don't have to come with us. You barely knew Lirath."

Kelrian tilted his head a little as he stared at Sylvanas who was wearing a black dress. Normally she would have put her uniform on but it didn't fit her anymore so she had chosen a black dress for Lirath's funeral. She didn't like wearing black but it was normal to wear such colours for such an emotional event. In Kelrian's opinion, she looked good no matter what she wore. She looked stunning in this dress.

"I know," Kelrian replied eventually. "But I want to be by your side and be there for you when they burn Lirath's body."

Sylvanas walked over to him and put her hands on his upper body, leaning in until their noses almost touched. She didn't kiss him. She just stared into his eyes. "I appreciate that. I have already come to terms with his death but who knows what will happen when I see his corpse. My body is going crazy from time to time thanks to the overdose of hormones I have to deal with every day."

Kelrian wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer until her round belly came in contact with his upper body. He didn't say anything, he just stared at Sylvanas, the corners of his lips formed a small smile. Sylvanas stepped on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. Kelrian didn't dare to not return the kiss, he even allowed Sylvanas to slip her tongue in his mouth and explore it. She knew his mouth like the back of her hand because she kissed him very oftenand inserted her tongue in his mouth whenever they were spending time together. Nevertheless, she loved to explore his mouth as if she had never sneaked her tongue into it before.

The couple pulled away after some time, smiling at each other. Sylvanas' eyes wandered over Kelrian's form. "You look good in a black suit."

"Thank you, my dear. You look stunningly beautiful. The other guests will have problems taking their eyes off you."

"What shall I do in your opinion? No matter what I wear, people always stare at me."

Kelrian chuckled. "Today they will stare at you because of your round belly. They won't believe it at first and think what they are seeing is not real. I wonder how long they will need until they realize that what they are seeing is real."

"I hope you don't mind them staring in general."

Kelrian's lips formed a smile. "Of course not. No matter how much they stare, you will always be mine."

"Plus I will be less interesting for them with two babies in my belly."

"But that doesn't make you less interesting for me," he responded and put a hand on her cheek, caressing it.

"We should go," Sylvanas said after a few minutes.

Kelrian nodded to her and walked over to the door, opening it. He waited until Sylvanas had left the house, then he closed the door behind him and followed her. It was already dark outside and the only sources of lights were the dozens of torches that were placed along the path in front of them. Sylvanas took Kelrian's hand, intertwined their fingers and walked with him. They followed the course of the path until they came to a crowd of people that surrounded five constructions made out of wood. These constructions were about one and half a meter tall and wide enough that a body could lay on it.

Five bodies were covered with white blankets but Sylvanas didn't need to see the bodies to know which persons were lying knew the five persons but she didn't know who laid on which construction. One of these five bodies belonged to her brother. Zendarin's sister and father and two of Sylvanas' uncles laid on the other constructions that looked like wooden altars.

Sylvanas turned her head and checked her surroundings, noticing that some people were looking at her. There were enough torches that illuminated the area so that everyone could see her clearly. They saw every part of her body. Her round baby bump clearly irritated and surprised them. They hadn't expected her to be pregnant. Nobody had expected that but most people congratulated Sylvanas.

Sylvanas saw many of her rangers, a few of Lirath's friends and the friends of the other four members of her family. All her relatives were present and even Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider and King Terenas Menethil with his wife.

She spotted a few of her jealous admirers who regarded her with narrowed eyes. No, they weren't looking at her. They were looking at Kelrian who stood directly next to her and still held her hand.

Kelrian ignored them so did Sylvanas. She didn't care that the others were saying or thinking about them. She only cared about the opinions of her friends, her family and the father of her unborn children. She didn't care about any other opinion.

Kelrian wrapped his arm around her waist as he spotted the sad expression on her face. He pressed a soft kiss on her forehead and regarded her for a few moments before he looked back at the five covered corpses.

Sylvanas turned her head as she saw Alleria and Vereesa coming closer. Like her, they were wearing black dresses. They didn't say anything and just stepped to Sylvanas, hugging her. Sylvanas returned their hugs and did the same with her mother, her father and Verena. Nobody said a single word, they just stared at each other for a few moments before they averted their gazes and looked in different directions.

Sylvanas spotted a heavily pregnant woman not far away from her but she had vanished in the crowd before she could have taken a closer look at her. She had recognized nothing but the black dress she had worn. For a reason Sylvanas couldn't understand, that woman had made her curious. For some reason, she wanted to know more about this woman even though she had never seen her before. Sylvanas shook her head and blamed her hormones for her body acting so strangely. She turned her head and looked at Kelrian's mother who walked towards them. She looked at Kelrian, noticing that he was as surprised as her.

"What are you doing here, mom?" he asked as soon as she had approached them. "Now that we are going to be a family, I thought it would be a nice gesture to come to Lirath's funeral."

Sylvanas gave her an appreciating nod. "Are your other children coming too?"

Liana shook her head. "Tomorrow will be a very hard day for them so I thought it's better that they don't come to this funeral. I thought it's best to give them one more day before they are getting confronted with the loss of a beloved person. Two funerals in a row would be too much for them."

"I understand that," said Sylvanas quietly. "At least you are here even though we would have never expected that from you. Kelrian also came even though he didn't have to."

"Kelrian loves you that's why he doesn't want to leave you alone."

"I'm not alone," responded Sylvanas and pointed at her family and Verena.

Liana nodded. "I know, I didn't mean it that way."

"I get what you wanted to say. I'm glad Kelrian is here. I want nothing more than him holding me in his arms while we watch the bodies burning to ashes," Sylvanas replied. Kelrian wrapped his arm around her waist and put a kiss on her forehead. Sylvanas' gaze wandered from family member to family member until it landed on her mother who gave her a comforting look.

"Do you want to hold the speech or should I say a few words about Lirath?" her mother asked.

"I'm not sure if I would find the right words. It's better you do it."

"I will do it then, my dear," responded her mother and walked to the middle of the place, stepping between the constructions. She waited until everyone had become silent and looked at her, then she started to hold a speech but Sylvanas didn't hear any of her words because she was lost in thoughts. She stared at the covered bodies, thinking about her brother. Many good memories came in her mind. Memories in which she had spent time with her brother, trained him or helped him learning his text for the role he played in one of his stage plays.

She still remembered how his laughter had sounded and how he had looked like when he had smiled. She also remembered how childish he had been sometimes. She remembered much of him. Only good memories. Lirath had never done anything bad. He had been a good person. An innocent person who had died for no reason. The Horde murdered him for no reason. He hadn't murdered anyone. He had just tried to defend his home by any means. He had died to save his mother.

Sylvanas had accepted his death months ago, nevertheless, thinking about him still hurt. Sylvanas felt sad. She was not sobbing or crying, she just felt sad. She wished she could bring her brother back to life but she couldn't do that. She was just a mortal after all. She had no resurrection powers. Lirath was dead and would never return.

Sylvanas walked to the first construction as soon as she had realized her mother had finished her speech. She pulled the blanket down a little, revealing the corpse's head. She saw Lirath's face. His skin was pale, his eyes were closed and his hair had the same blond colour it usually had. His corpse had been well preserved. He looked exactly the same as the day he died.

Kelrian watched her walking from body to body and uncover their heads. Every member of the Windrunner family regarded their deceased loved ones one after one. They were not the only ones who took a closer look at the dead. There was a heavily pregnant woman who stood next to Lirath's body. Her belly was much rounder than Sylvanas' belly. Tears ran down her chocolate brown cheeks but she wiped them away quickly.

Kelrian regarded the woman curiously. She had short, light-brown hair, green eyes and a beautiful face. She was about five feet and five inches tall, meaning that she was a lot smaller than him with his height of six feet and six inches. The dress she wore accentuated her curves pretty well. Kelrian didn't need to look twice to know that this woman was a little chubby in her normal state. The pregnancy made her look more corpulent than she usually was.

Sadness was reflected in the woman's face. Kelrian didn't know her but it was unmistakable that she had known Lirath. He must have been very important to her, otherwise, she wouldn't mourn for him like this. Kelrian felt very bad for this woman. He couldn't avert his gaze no matter how hard he tried.

He saw the woman removing a bracelet from her wrist and putting it beneath the blanket. She put a hand on Lirath's cold cheek, caressing her belly with the other. She leaned over and put a kiss on his forehead, then she made a few steps away and looked at Alleria who was walking towards Lirath's corpse while holding a torch in her hand.

Alleria didn't look at the woman as she stopped in front of her dead brother and regarded him for three minutes. Tears ran down her cheeks but she didn't wipe them away. She turned her head and looked at Turalyon who stood not far away from her. The human came to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, whispering comforting words in her ear.

She gave him a weak smile then she looked at her sisters and her parents who nodded at her. A sad sigh escaped Alleria's lips as she turned back to Lirath's body. She muttered a few words and removed the blanket, exposing Lirath's entire corpse. He was wearing a ranger uniform. He had never been a ranger. He had not even been a recruit but he had wished to become a ranger like his sisters one day. That had been his greatest wish, so his family had decided to dress him like this.

Lirath would have made an excellent ranger, every single member of his family was sure about that. But things had turned out differently. He died eight months ago and all his family could do was to say goodbye to him before they would burn his corpse. They could only hope he would be in a better world where he could live in peace. A world without wars.

The mourners regarded Lirath's corpse for a few more minutes before Alleria stepped closer to the construction and set it on fire. They were silent as the flames consumed Lirath's body faster than they had expected.

Long forgotten memories came back in Sylvanas' mind.

_"Can I ask you something, Sylvanas?"_

_The addressed woman turned her head and looked at her little brother. Lirath stood not far away from her and regarded her curiously. He wore a blue vest and brown trousers. His magnificent blond hair was tied in a ponytail._

_"Of course you can."_

_Lirath hesitated for a few moments but then he asked the question that had been on his mind for quite some time. "Do you think that one day I will be an outstanding ranger like you, Alleria and Vereesa?"_

_Sylvanas chuckled and put her hand on his head, caressing the top of his head softly. "If you train hard enough then there should be nothing that could stop you. You are a Windrunner, so it's in your blood to be a good ranger. But don't forget that you have to do something if you want to become as good as us. You have to train every day and never give up, no matter how hard your training is. All you have to do is remain patient and give your best."_

_Lirath gave her a wide smile. It was unmistakable that Sylvanas' response made him happy and gave him hope._

_"You will be a great ranger, Lirath. You just have to wait until you grow older and have collected enough experiences. But remember, we will always be proud of you no matter if you become a ranger or an actor or any other profession. You will always be our brother and we will always love you no matter what will happen."_

_Lirath smiled at her and wrapped his arms around his sister, hugging her tightly. Sylvanas returned the hug and put a kiss on his forehead when she pulled away. She returned his smile._

_"I'm glad you believe in me, sis."_

_"I will always believe in you and support you wherever I can, Lirath."_

Sylvanas' head rested on Kelrian's shoulder, her body was slightly pressed against his as they watched the spectacle in front of their eyes. A single tear ran down her cheek but she wiped it away.

She averted her gaze eventually, looking at the brown-skinned human who was still sobbing. She tilted her head as she regarded her closely. She assumed it was the woman she had seen before. She had never met her before but for some reason, she had the impression that this woman was familiar to her. She had the impression that something connected them. If only she would know what it was. She could only assume that this woman had been a close friend of Lirath, otherwise, she wouldn't stand near his remains and cry while staring into the flames.

Sylvanas looked at Kelrian, receiving a short nod from him. She turned her head and looked at Alleria who raised an eyebrow and gave her a curious look. Sylvanas didn't say anything as she grabbed Alleria's arm and dragged her to the strange woman. Alleria didn't protest because she also wanted to find out who this woman was.

"Hello," Alleria said once they stood in front of the pregnant human.

"Hello," responded the human with a weak and tearful voice. "You must be Lirath's sisters."

Alleria nodded. "We are."

"Lirath told me a lot about you. He told me a lot about your family. He was very proud of you and looked up to you."

"Were you a close friend of him?" Sylvanas asked and gave her a curious look.

The corners of the woman's lips formed a sad smile. "Friend... I was more than just a friend to him..."

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything in response. She signalized the woman to continue speaking. The woman stared at her fingernails for a few moments before she lifted her gaze and looked at the sisters of the man, she had loved with all her heart. "Lirath loved me and I loved him."

Alleria's eyes widened so did Sylvanas'. "You are Camillia," Alleria concluded.

The brown-skinned woman nodded. "I am."

"Who?" asked Lireesa as she stepped to her daughters. Alleria and Sylvanas turned around and looked at her. "Lirath's girlfriend. He wrote often to me and gave me information about his girlfriend with the name Camillia. He wanted to introduce her to our family but he was too afraid of what you and father would say, so he wrote to us first. I wrote to him that he didn't need to be afraid that you wouldn't accept her because she is a human. You have accepted Turalyon so I have written to him that he had no reason to worry," explained Lireesa's oldest daughter.

Sylvanas and Alleria turned back to the woman as they heard a low sob. "Lirath wanted to introduce me to you on the day the attacks on Windrunner Spire and Windrunner Village happened... He told me to alarm the nearest village while he would run to his home. He promised me to meet me as soon as the attacks will be over but he never returned... I heard about his death a few days and...," she was unable to complete her sentence because sad noises and sobs escaped her lips. Alleria didn't hesitate to approach the woman and hug her. She pressed the woman's head against her chest and caressed the back of her head.

Camillia calmed down eventually and gave Alleria a thankful nod as she stepped away. "How long did you know Lirath?"

"We met over four years ago. It was love at first sight."

Lireesa's gaze fell on her belly. "And the child?" She already expected what the smaller woman would say in return.

Camillia took a deep breath. "It's Lirath's child. Normally, I would have taken the pill but then the attack happened and everything got out of hand." Camillia's eyes reflected sadness. "I should have gone with him, maybe he wouldn't have died then."

"Are you a warrior? Do you know how to fight?" Lireesa asked.

Camillia shook her head. "No. Unfortunately not."

"You would have died if you would have followed him. Lirath's decision was right. He cared for you so he wanted you to be safe. That's why he sent you to the nearest village."

"I know that but still... It feels for me as if I have abandoned him and left him to die."

Lireesa put a hand on her shoulder, patting it softly. "You didn't leave him to die. Xenarion Sunsinger did that and now he pays for it. He rots in a cell while we are free and allowed to enjoy our lives. I suggest you do the same and raise your child."

The sadness and doubt vanished from Camillia's face. "You are right."

Lireesa gave her a small smile.

"It's still unfair that innocent people like Lirath died while bad people like this Xenarion are allowed to live."

Sylvanas gave her an agreeing nod. "Life is not always fair. Lirath was taken away from us but you survived and you have a baby who is also a Windrunner. We can stay in the past and mourn until we will grow old and grey or we look forward and find out what the future holds for us. You may have lost Lirath but at least he gave you something which will motivate you to keep going. Something that gives you a purpose."

Camillia nodded at her. "You are right, Ranger-General."

Soft laughter escaped Sylvanas' lips. "You can call me Sylvanas. You can call anyone by their first names. Lirath loved you and you carry his child in you. I don't see a reason why you shouldn't call us by our first names. Basically, you belong to our family."

Camillia couldn't believe what Sylvanas had just said. She was too stunned to say anything but then she pulled herself together and smiled for the first time of the day. "Thank you. You don't know what this means to me. I felt so lonely when I heard about Lirath's death. And now that you accept me in your family, I'm not lonely anymore."

"Do you have any other relatives?"

Camillia shook her head, sadness was reflected by her eyes. "My parents died a few days after the attacks."

"What happened?"

"Orcs attacked our village."

"I'm sorry to hear that," whispered Sylvanas and pulled her in a comforting hug. She had to hug her from the side because their round bellies were in their way and didn't allow them to hug from the front.

"Fate hasn't always been on my side."

"You are in safe hands now," assured Alleria. "You are always welcome. You can visit us whenever you want."

Camillia smiled. "That would be great."

"If you move to Windrunner Village, you don't have to march long to reach our house."

"My parents are gone so there is nothing that holds me in my village. I will think about it."

Lireesa gave her a small smile. "Do that, Camillia."

Camillia didn't say anything in response nor did anyone else. Everyone just stared at the ashes that covered the ground. It was not windy at the moment so waiting until the wind would have carried the ashes away was not an option. Fortunately for them, there was a shaman that manipulated the wind so the ashes could be carried away. They didn't talk as they followed the enlightened path back to the house nor did they say anything as they entered the house and closed the door.

* * *

Kelrian ran his fingers over his eyes, keeping them closed for a few moments before he opened them. Another funeral. Lirath's funeral had not been easy for him and this one wouldn't be easier. They were about to bury his brother so everyone could finally come to terms with his death.

Kelrian turned his head and looked at his lover who was standing right next to him and was holding his hand. She gave him a comforting smile and signalized him to keep moving. He nodded at her and made one step after another, arriving with her at his family crypt after half an hour.

His family was already gathered so was Sylvanas'. Sindor was wearing a black suit which looked similar to Kelrian's. Cincia and Sydori wore black dresses that reached to their knees while their mother wore a dress that reached to her ankles.

Everyone was already there. There was even one person Kelrian wouldn't have expected to meet at Seitor's funeral. Three persons to be exact. Two guards and a man Kelrian unfortunately knew **.** A man he was not happy to have around.

"What is HE doing here," Kelrian asked his mother as soon as he came to her.

Liana didn't seem to be happy about the man's presence either. "The guards allowed him to leave his cell for today so he can attend the funeral."

Kelrian found no words he could say in return. Seeing this man made him very angry. He would love to walk over to him and hit him in the face but he had already done that when he had met him in the prison of Silvermoon.

Xenarion deserved to be hit more often but the guards wouldn't allow that. Kelrian didn't want to turn the funeral into a brawl, so he remained calm and looked at the love of his life instead. He came here to say goodbye to his brother forever and not to start a brawl with this bastard.

"He did horrible things and he deserves to rot in a cell but he also deserves to attend the funeral of his oldest son. He might be a monster but he is still a father so we should allow him to say goodbye to Seitor," said his older sister.

Kelrian nodded at Sydori and looked back at Sylvanas because he didn't want to pay attention to the man, he had thought to be his father for most of his life. He decided to ignore him as best as he could. He was glad that Xenarion was standing far away from them so he couldn't hear them. But they weren't talking much so it didn't matter anyway. They stood there for a few minutes until Liana pointed at the closed coffin that was standing next to the crypt.

Kelrian was the first one who walked over to it and made himself ready to lift it with the others. Sydori, Sindor and Cincia joined them. Even Liana came to the coffin. She could only lift it with one arm but that was better than nothing. She had lost her left arm during an ambush by the trolls and orcs at the beginning of the Second War. Since then she had gotten used to living with only one arm.

Liana had an artificial limb that made it look as if she had two arms but she couldn't use it. It was only for show. Nevertheless, she put her right hand on the side of the coffin, signalizing everyone that she was ready to lift it. But they didn't lift it yet. Kelrian didn't like it that Xenarion was so close to his family but he allowed him to lift the coffin with them. It was his son's funeral, so Kelrian showed leniency but only for this day.

They lifted up the coffin together and carried it in the crypt. The stonemasons had made a tall, wide and long hole in the wall where they could put the coffin in. But the mourners didn't put it in there yet. They put it on the floor and opened the lid.

Kelrian's mood turned sad as he saw the pale body of his brother. He was wearing his favourite robe. It was coloured in yellow and adorned by golden stripes. There were five blue gems that were sewed in each cuff of his sleeves. This outfit was very expensive and Seitor had only worn it on important occasions like birthdays, celebration or meeting with important persons like the Ranger-General, the prince or the king.

Seitor's hair was made, the bruises on his face had been covered by make-up and they had even added an artificial limb so his body looked symmetrical. Kelrian regarded the body closely and he was not the only one who did that. Seitor looked so peaceful. He could finally rest. He had lived for one hundred and twenty-eight years which was nothing for a high elf. He died too soon.

It was not easy for Kelrian to hold his tears back but he managed to control himself somehow. Other's weren't that strong but that was okay. Sydori and Cincia were crying and their mother wrapped her arms around them and comforted them as best as she could. Sindor didn't cry. He just stared at the body and said nothing. His eyes reflected grief. He hadn't come to terms with his death yet.

Xenarion was silent as well. He stood a few inches away from his family and stared at the body of his dead son. He didn't say anything, not even when every other member of his family said a few sentences about Seitor. He regarded his children and his ex-wife for a few moments, then he looked at Kelrian and his pregnant lover.

He didn't show that he begrudged Kelrian that he was together with this wonderful woman. He didn't show that he was jealous that this man, who was not his son, was allowed to live with his family while he had to return to prison at the end of the day.

He didn't show that he was jealous that Kelrian made the most beautiful woman on Azeroth pregnant. Xenarion was jealous at Kelrian. He had wanted Sylvanas since she became Ranger-General but he would never able to have her. She was already spoken for while Xenarion would have to spend the rest of his life in a prison cell.

Xenarion walked over to the still opened coffin and pulled an amulet out of his pocket. It was his favourite amulet which he would have given to his favourite son when he would have gotten married. That would never happen because Seitor was dead, so Xenarion decided to put it in his coffin. The amulet had belonged to his family since thousands of years and was the most valuable object Xenarion owned. It was round and represented the sun. He regarded his dead son for a few moments before he walked back to the corner where he had stood before.

Xenarion watched the funeral ceremony and waited until everyone else had left the crypt. The coffin had been pushed in the gap and sealed with a large stone and a magic spell. No person would be able to pull the coffin out and steal the corpse or do other things with it.

The priest muttered a few phrases, saying goodbye to his favourite son before he left the crypt that was sealed a minute later. The guards went to him and handcuffed him. He looked one last time at his ex-wife who gave him a cold look before he was taken away by the guards.


	59. Célébration de la victoire

The grand ballroom of Sunstrider Spire was by far the largest room Sylvanas had ever been in. But not only its size impressed her. The beautiful colours that could be seen in the room where a feast for everyone's eyes. The tall and long walls were coloured in blue and adorned by golden stripes. The floor was not covered by a carpet, so the magnificent parquet flooring could be seen. The floor was not slippery, so Sylvanas could walk on it without fearing that she might slip and fall. Nevertheless, she was walking slower than usual in her blue high heels.

Normally, she wouldn't have worn high heels or a blue magnificent dress. Normally, she would have worn her Ranger-General uniform during such an important event but her uniform didn't fit her anymore so she had chosen this dress. She liked the dress, so she didn't mind wearing it.

The dress was made from the finest silk of Quel'Thalas by the best tailor in Silvermoon. It had a midnight blue colour and covered Sylvanas' entire body. Her round belly was clearly visible and her breasts were accentuated by this dress. Her breasts normally drew the most attention but on this day the people were not staring at them most of the time.

The gazes of those who surrounded Sylvanas rested on her stomach. Everyone was more than just surprised to see their Ranger-General with a round baby bump. Nobody had expected that. Most people were speechless at first but then they came to her and congratulated her. Sylvanas thanked all of them.

Sylvanas was not used to wearing high heels, that meant she couldn't walk as fast as she wanted. She reached the middle of the room eventually and checked her surroundings. She was standing in the middle of the dancefloor but no one was there, so she didn't disturb anyone.

The dance floor took up one-third of the room. Around the circular area stood dozens of tables at which lots of people were already sitting. She let her gaze wander over the other guests. Most of them were high elves but there were also lots of humans and dwarves. Most of these humans belonged to Turalyon's battalion. They were sitting there and chatted, eat and drank.

She guessed that several hundred people were already sitting at the tables while more than a thousand were still standing in the room and did something. They talked or stood around the buffet which stood on dozens of tables on the left side and the right side of the room. The celebration was not lacking food, drinks or guests. There was enough for everyone. The celebration wasn't lacking music either. There was an orchestra that stood in front of the opposite wall of the room and played slow and peaceful music.

Sylvanas ignored the staring of the people around her and walked towards one of these tables. She stopped suddenly and turned around as she heard a familiar voice. She spotted Kael'thas who was wearing a red robe that was decorated by lots of glowing jewels. As usual, the prince had chosen an extravagant outfit. His hair was longer than usual but had the same golden-blond colour it always had.

"Congratulations on the pregnancy, Sylvanas."

"Thank you. I congrats you on your engagement with Alina Flowerbringer."

Kael'thas returned her smile. "Thank you."

"When can we expect your wedding?"

The prince shrugged. "I have no idea yet. I have to talk to Alina first. When can we expect your baby?"

"Babies," corrected Sylvanas.

Kael'thas raised an eyebrow. He was surprised, Sylvanas could say that for sure. "Babies?"

"We are getting two children at the same time."

"Who is we?"

"Kelrian and I"

"Kelrian Sunsinger?"

Sylvanas nodded. "He is the father."

"What a lucky guy," muttered Kael'thas.

Sylvanas raised a brow because she hadn't heard him properly. "Excuse me?"

"Nothing," said Kael'thas quietly and gave her an innocent smile. "I'm happy for you, I really am."

"Thank you. And I'm happy for you. You finally found the right person after longing for me for nearly a hundred years," said Sylvanas.

"I love Alina. She may not be as perfect as you but she is a wonderful woman. She is very important to me."

"May she be a good wife to you and give you beautiful children one day."

"We should drink something to celebrate the good news," said Kael'thas and let two goblets of wine appear in his hands. He stretched his right arm out, intending to give one goblet to Sylvanas.

Sylvanas signalized him to stop. "I'm not allowed to drink alcohol."

Kael'thas' cheeks reddened a little. "I forgot about that, sorry."

Sylvanas chuckled. "There is no need to apologize. But If you want to do me a favour, you can go and get me a goblet of moonberry juice. Without alcohol of course."

Kael'thas nodded. "I will do that."

"Thank you, Kael."

The prince chuckled when she said his nickname only his closest friends were allowed to say. Sylvanas belonged to his closest friends, so she could call him like that whenever she wanted. Kael'thas gave her one last smile before he turned around and paved his way through the crowd. Sylvanas didn't wait for his return because she knew he would find her anyways. She didn't hesitate to walk to her destination, arriving at the largest table in the room. A lot of people she knew where sitting there.

In the middle sat High King Anasterian Sunstrider and his wife Melisandra Sunstrider. She was his second wife and Kael'thas' stepmother. Kael'thas mother died hundreds of years ago during a battle against the trolls. She sacrificed her life to protect her kingdom. She died as a heroine and would never be forgotten.

Melisandra was a lot younger than the king who was over three thousand years old. She was only twelve hundred years old and had untainted skin, majestic long brown hair and a very beautiful face. She was slim, her breasts were not the largest but she had a well-formed ass. Despite her age, she hadn't given birth to any children yet. Nobody knew the reason for that. Some assumed that the king didn't want to have more children. Others assumed he was too old to father a child. Sylvanas was sure that these rumours were false. Kael'thas was Anasterian's pride and joy. He was happy to have him, so he didn't need another son or a daughter.

The king had grey long hair and his face was wrinkled. He was past his prime. He may be old but he was wise and still a competent fighter. With his famous blade Felo'melorn he would still be a threat for even the most fearsome orc or troll. Nevertheless, was he a better ruler than a fighter. He ruled this kingdom for over three thousand years and his people overcame every crisis.

Nobody knew how long he would live. The king knew his days were numbered but he had prepared his son to be a king for the case he would die one day. He was still feeling good these days but nobody knew what the future was holding so the king had made sure that his son was prepared for everything.

Anasterian waved at Sylvanas so did Melisandra. The queen stood up and walked over to her, congratulating her. Sylvanas thanked her and allowed her to touch her belly. Melisandra rubbed her belly slowly and exchanged a few words with Sylvanas before she walked back to her spouse and sat next to him. Sylvanas' gaze rested on the royal couple for a few moments before it shifted to the empty seat next to the king. It was Kael'thas' seat and next to it was Alina's.

The beauty with the midnight coloured hair was sitting there and took a bite from a delicious looking apple. Sylvanas could see the beautiful engagement ring on her right hand. Sylvanas' couldn't take her eyes off the blue glowing crystal that looked very expensive. Sylvanas assumed the ring was made out of truesilver.

She wondered if Kelrian would ever propose to her and give her such a beautiful ring. She wondered if they would get married one day. A familiar voice caught her attention before she could think more about it. She turned her head and looked at Verena who was standing not far away from her. The red-head approached her and hugged her, placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Hello, Sylvie," greeted her best friend.

"Hello, Verena. It's good to see you."

"How are you doing? How are the babies doing?"

"I'm fine and they are fine as well."

Verena linked arms with her and guided her to three seats that were not taken yet. She pointed at the middle seat and Sylvanas sat down while Verena sat down on the one to her right. Verena turned her head as she saw a person coming closer. "This seat is already taken," she said and pointed at the empty seat to Sylvanas' left.

"But I don't see anyone sitting there," responded Archmage Dar'Khan Drathir. Verena stared into his grey-blue eyes, ignoring the arrogant look on his face. "The Ranger-General doesn't want to sit next to someone who took advantage of her younger sister and dropped her like a hot potato. This seat is reserved for the Ranger-General's mate."

Dar'Khan raised an eyebrow. "And who would that be?"

"That would be me, Archmage," said a voice Sylvanas knew pretty well. Dar'Khan turned around and looked at the ranger, who was half a head taller than him. Dar'Khan didn't show that he was a little intimidated by the ranger's tall physique. "Ranger Sunsinger."

"Can I help you?" Kelrian asked and regarded the mage curiously. Dar'Khan was wearing a blue robe that looked more expensive than most of the robes the mages in Silvermoon wore. He had long black hair, a pointed chin and a roguish smile on his lips.

"You could take a seat elsewhere. I want to sit next to the Ranger-General."

Kelrian looked at Sylvanas who was about to stand up. He signalized her to keep sitting because he had everything under control. Sylvanas gave him a nod and leaned back, regarding the happening in front of her. Kelrian looked back at the cheeky archmage who was still grinning at him. "I'm sure that the Ranger-General doesn't want your company. I'm pretty sure she wants to enjoy the celebration while sitting between her best friend and her lover. I'm sure she doesn't want to sit next to a man who treated her little sister like a trophy and broke her heart by cheating on her with another woman."

"I was there before you," said Dar'Khan, ignoring Kelrian's arguments.

"But Sylvanas reserved this seat for me. You did that for me, right?" Kelrian asked Sylvanas.

"I did."

The corners of Kelrian's lips formed a slight smile as he looked back at the mage. "See."

Dar'Khan was not amused. His brows were furrowed, his eyes were narrowed to thin lines and rested on the ranger who was a lot more muscular than him. Of course, Kelrian would never take advantage of his stronger physiqueduring a celebration but he enjoyed to intimidate the arrogant mage. He knew Dar'Khan was intimidated by him even though he didn't show it. Nevertheless, the archmage didn't walk away. He became even bolder as he sat down on the chair and refused to leave them in peace.

Sylvanas and Kelrian were about to say something but another person was faster. "It would be nice if you wouldn't bother a pregnant woman and her lover."

Verena, Sylvanas, Kelrian and even Dar'Khan turned their heads and looked at the person who had just said that. Kael'thas came to the table and put three goblets in front of Sylvanas before he turned to the archmage and gave him a strict and unamused look.

The archmage was unable to hide his nervousness but he didn't get up. He was intimidated by the prince and didn't dare to make a rude comment. He was talking to a member of the royal family and no longer to a normal ranger. He couldn't allow himself to make the prince mad at him.

"Would you please stand up and look for another seat? I heard there are a few seats in the near to the family of Lordaeron. Why don't you go there and talk to the mages from Lordaeron?"

Dar'Khan got up and bowed to Kael'thas. "Yes, my prince."

A satisfied smile could be seen on the prince's lips. "Good. Now ask the Ranger-General for forgiveness."

Dar'Khan looked at Sylvanas, it was clearly visible that he didn't feel comfortable in this situation. "I'm sorry," he muttered.

"I didn't hear you," said Kael'thas.

Dar'Khan exhaled loudly. "I'm sorry, Ranger-General." He said much louder this time.

Sylvanas gave him a small nod.

"Now say the same to Ranger Sunsinger."

The archmage turned around and apologized to Kelrian who just stared at him and said nothing. Dar'Khan looked at Kael'thas who signalized him to go. The archmage didn't need to be told twice and hurried away. Kelrian's gaze rested on him as he walked to the table next to the one where the Menethil family was sitting. But not only them. There was also Prince Varian and the ruling family of Kul Tiras. Daelin and Katherine Proudmoore were sitting next to King Terenas and Queen Lianne. Their children sat not far away from them.

Kelrian spotted Arthas who was sitting next to a blonde girl who was not his sister. He assumed that the girl was at the age of Arthas and the daughter of Daelin and Katherine. He observed the prince for a few minutes, noticing that he got along very well with the girl.

Kelrian averted his gaze eventually and looked at Kael'thas and Sylvanas who were talking about their favourite food. His gaze wandered to Verena who had her girlfriend on her lap and fed her with strawberries and other delicious fruits. He let his gaze wander again and spotted Zetai who was sitting next to Sydori and talked to her. He also spotted his mother and Varo in front of the buffet.

His gaze fell back on Sylvanas who smiled at him as she told Kael'thas that she would love to talk to him later. The prince told her that he was looking forward to it before he walked away and sat down next to his fiancée.

Kelrian just sat on his seat, had wrapped his arm around Sylvanas' shoulders and regarded her while she talked to her best friend.

"Are you hungry, my love?" Kelrian asked eventually.

Sylvanas turned her head and looked at him. "Yes, I am."

"What do you want to eat?"

"I haven't taken a closer look at the buffet yet but bring me something that is healthy. Lots of it."

"So fruits and vegetables basically."

Sylvanas nodded.

"Anything else?"

"You could bring me a few pieces of cake too. That would be nice."

Kelrian got up and kissed her forehead. "Alright, I will return soon."

"Take your time, my dear. We have all the time in the world."

Kelrian nodded to her and turned around, walking to the buffet at the left side of the room. He spotted Nathanos in front of the many tables who was regarding the various dishes. Kelrian stepped to him and patted him on the back. "Hey, Nate. What's up?"

The young human, who wore brown trousers and a blue blouse, turned his head and gave him a surprised look. His brown hair was longer than usual and he had grown a full beard. "Oh, Kel, it's you. For a moment I thought you were someone else."

"Nah, It's really me. Kelrian Sunsinger, the famous troll queen kidnapper," he joked, causing a smile on Nathanos' lips.

Nathanos' eyes wandered to his right arm. "I'm glad you can use your arm again. I can only assume it hasn't been easy for you to manageyour daily life with only one arm."

"It has been a challenge," Kelrian admitted. "But I managed it and now my wounds have healed so I can do everything with two arms."

Nathanos smiled and took a large piece of meat from a stack of meat pieces and put it on his plate.

"I'm glad you survived the final battle," said Kelrian.

"The battle was bloody but we had the upper hand from the beginning. The orcs held out longer than we expected but we defeated them in the end. They lost their fighting spirit when Commander Turalyon defeated Doomhammer in combat and captured him," told Nathanos.

Sadness was reflected by Kelrian's eyes when he spoke. "Too bad that Supreme Commander Anduin Lothar didn't make it."

The same amount of sadness could be seen in Nathanos' eyes. "I was not far away from him when Doomhammer beat him to death with his mighty hammer. I wasn't able to help him," he paused for a moment. "At least Turalyon wiped the triumphant grin off the orc's face when he defeated him."

The sadness disappeared from Kelrian's face. "At least that. I wish I could have joined his funeral but my brother's funeral was on the same day and I couldn't attend both."

"I'm sorry for what happened to your brother. He didn't deserve to die."

"No. He didn't. Most people didn't deserve to die. At least the people from the Alliance. But life is cruel and not always fair. Many died during the war but we won in the end and that's all that matters."

The human nodded. "You are right, my friend."

Kelrian's gaze wandered to the various dishes on the tables. "I have to get something to eat for Sylvanas. She is hungry and waiting for me. I don't want to let her wait for too long."

"It's never wise to let a woman wait longer than necessary. Especially when that woman is Sylvanas Windrunner," Nathanos commented.

"Sylvanas can be very strict but only when it comes to work. Privately, she is a different person. But you are right, I shouldn't let her wait longer than necessary. She's more irritable since she got pregnant."

Nathanos put a few more pieces of meat on his plate and turned away from Kelrian. "I won't distract you any longer. Maybe we will meet later and talk a little."

"That would be great, Nate."

Nathanos looked at him one last time, gave him a nod and walked away. Kelrian's eyes rested on him until he disappeared in the crowd, then he turned his attention to the tables in front of him. He regarded the large range of dishes closely and took two large plates, putting them in front of him. He took one of these plates and put four large ladles of potato salad on it. He also put rice, lots of cooked peas and little carrots on it. He put lots of vegetables, fruits and a few pieces of cake on the other plate **.** He regarded the plates once again before he took them in his hands and walked back to Sylvanas, putting them in front of her.

Sylvanas looked up at him. "Thank you, my dear."

"You are always welcome, my love," he responded as he sat down.

"I'm glad that you are supporting my part-time vegan lifestyle. Lots of people would think I'm crazy when I would tell them that I go without meat as long as possible," she said and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"It's your decision what you want to eat and what you don't want to eat. A healthy diet doesn't harm anyone, on the contrary, it's better for our health. You don't have any health problems but you still do it. You have my respect. I would never survive a week without meat. I'm weak."

Sylvanas put a hand on his cheek and smiled at him. "No, you are not. Meat is also necessary because it has a lot of proteins our bodies need. Also, lots of people like the taste of meat. I have to say that I don't dislike the taste of meat but I go without it when I can. When I'm on a mission or have to survive in the woods during times of war, I can't go without meat. I would kill an animal and eat its flesh if it would be necessary for my survival. But if I'm not in such a situation then I don't eat meat at all."

"It's your decision, my dear. I'm sure people will understand it."

"Some people still think it's weird but who cares?"

"What matters is that you are happy with your diet."

"I am happy indeed."

Kelrian caressed her cheek and smiled at her. "Then I'm happy too."

Verena turned her head and regarded Sylvanas' plates curiously. "And what do you eat?" she asked Kelrian.

"Nothing at the moment. I'm not hungry yet but I will eat something later."

"You can eat from my plates if you want," said Sylvanas.

Kelrian smiled. "Thanks, my dear. But I'm really not hungry at the moment. But thanks for the offer."

Sylvanas gave him a smile and averted her gaze, taking the cutlery in her hands. She began to eat the potato salad which tasted much better than she had expected. The cooks had put a lot of effort into their meals. Everything on her plates tasted excellent. It tasted even better than the meals her mother usually cooked and that had to mean a lot because Lireesa was one of the best cooks Sylvanas knew. Sylvanas finished her plates after half an hour and emptied the glass Kael'thas had given her.

She enjoyed the refreshing taste of the drink and put the empty glass aside, accepting Kelrian's glass. She looked at her lover and gave him a thankful smile before she took a few sips. They started to talk about random topics until Sylvanas got up and told him that she would go to the bathroom. Kelrian asked her if he should accompany her but Sylvanas rejected his offer and told him that she could do that alone. Kelrian nodded to her and watched her leave.

Once Sylvanas was out of hearing range, Verena turned to Kelrian and said. "You are a very lucky guy."

Kelrian smiled. "That's true. I'm pretty lucky that I have her. I can't imagine life without her. My life would be dull and boring without her. I need her and I hope she needs me the same."

"She does. Trust me."

Kelrian didn't say anything in return but he gave her an agreeing nod.

"I once thought I couldn't live without her as my lover but time proved me wrong. I can live with her not being my girlfriend because I found someone else I really love with all my heart," the red-head said and put a kiss on Elonis' lips. Her girlfriend returned the kiss and put her hand on the back of Verena's head, deepening the kiss.

Kelrian regarded the couple without saying anything because he didn't want to disturb them while sharing this passionate kiss. The couple broke their kiss eventually and looked back at the blond ranger who was still regarding them.

Verena cleared her throat. "I have loved Sylvanas and I will always remember the ten years where we have been together but I'm not living in the past. I have accepted that she prefers men, so I am happy that she found someone who makes her happy. I like you. You and Sylvanas fit perfectly together. At first, I was jealous of you but that had changed over time. But nowadays I'm glad that you make my girl happy and that you are not just liking her because of her reputation or her money. You love her for who she is. You love Sylvanas Windrunner and not the famous and beloved Ranger-General. Only a small portion of people like Sylvanas for the woman she is and not because of her fame or her power. You are a good guy, Kelrian."

Kelrian blushed a little. "Thank you. These words really touch my heart. They mean a lot to me. I'm glad that Sylvanas has such a good friend like you."

Now Verena was the one who blushed. "You are flattering me."

Kelrian turned his head as he noticed Sylvanas approaching them. He got up and pulled her chair back, allowing her to sit down. "What a gentleman," said Sylvanas and kissed his cheek. Kelrian sat down as well but didn't say anything in return. Sylvanas put the plate she was carrying in front of him. "I have allowed myself to get you some food for the case you want to eat something sooner or later."

Kelrian regarded the plate curiously. There was a large piece of meat, peeled potatoes and cooked peas. The potatoes were swimming in a brown sauce which smelled very good.

"I'm still not very hungry but I guess I eat a bit for now," said Kelrian.

It turned out that the sauce was very spicy but Kelrian enjoyed it nevertheless. The meat was well-done and had an excellent and unique taste. The potatoes and the peas were fresh and delicious.

"The meal is good. Thank you, my love," Kelrian said once he had tried everything.

"You are welcome, my dear," Sylvanas said in return and put her hand on his right upper thigh, caressing it. Kelrian stared into his lover's eyes while he ate and Sylvanas returned his staring. The couple didn't even stop staring as Kelrian was done with eating. Only when Verena cleared her throat, the couple returned to reality. They blushed but didn't say anything to Verena.

Sylvanas took a serviette and wiped away the sauce that stuck on the corners of Kelrian's lips. The ranger blushed but smiled at her, giving her a thankful nod. Sylvanas wiped her mouth clean with the same serviette before she put it away. She leaned in to kiss Kelrian, pulling away when her body reminded her that she needed oxygen.

"What a lovely couple," said a familiar voice. Sylvanas and Kelrian turned around and spotted Alleria and Turalyon behind them.

"Hi, Lady Sun. Hello Turalyon. How are you?"

"We are fine. Thanks for asking, sis."

"Are you enjoying the celebration so far?" Kelrian asked.

Turalyon was the one who answered this time. "I don't often go to parties or celebrations but I have to admit I enjoy this one. The food is fantastic, the music sounds good and most people are very friendly."

"Most people?" Sylvanas raised an eyebrow. "I assume you met Dar'Khan Drathir."

Turalyon gave the sister of his lover a weak smile. "Unfortunately, yes."

Sylvanas rubbed her forehead. "What did he do?"

"He got in an argument with a few mages from Lordaeron."

Sylvanas shook her head in disbelief. "This celebration is supposed to cheer everyone up and not lead to more arguments and unnecessary violence."

"Prince Kael'thas warned Dar'Khan for the last time and threatened him to banish him fromthe celebration if he misbehaves for a third time that day," said Alleria.

"I don't know what is wrong with this guy. If only I know what Vereesa saw in him back then."

Alleria put a hand on her sister's shoulder. "I can't understand it either but it was her choice back then and she learned from her mistakes. At least she found someone who doesn't seem to be an asshole."

"She found someone?" asked Sylvanas and raised an eyebrow, giving Alleria a curious look.

"She hinted that she met a very friendly man but she didn't tell me who it is."

"Did she give you any other hints?" Sylvanas asked curiously.

Her sister shook her head. "No, she didn't."

"We will find out about that man once Vereesa is ready to introduce him to us. Don't put her under pressure. She will come to us on her own."

Alleria chuckled. "Don't worry, I would never put her under pressure when it comes to introducing someone to us."

"Good."

"Turalyon and I wanted to dance a little to the music so I want to ask you if you and Kelrian want to do the same."

Sylvanas looked at her lover who gave her a small smile. "We can do that if you want but I have to warn you, I'm not a great dancer," said Kelrian.

"Don't worry, I can lead if you want," responded Sylvanas.

Soft laughter escaped Alleria's lips. "That sounds like my sister. Sylvanas loves to be the one in control. Most of the time, she is leading when someone asks her for a dance. Even the prince and the king had to pass the lead over to her."

"You danced with the prince and the king?" Kelrian asked interested.

"Yes, during the Feast of Winter Veil twenty years ago. I danced with Kael'thas, with his father and even with Melisandra. She is a good dancer and she tried often to take over but I remained in control until the song ended."

Kelrian chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "No one else would ever dare to tell the royal family what to do, or in this case make them follow their steps. Only a madman would do that because no one would risk to make them angry or insult them by doing that. But you are not a madman. You are a woman who knows what she wants. A woman who always gets what she wants. You know exactly how far you can go."

Sylvanas smiled. "You hit the nail on the head. Besides, I'm friends with the royal family and they respect me, so they allow me to take the lead while dancing. But they haven't danced with me for a while. Maybe because they want to have the lead, so they no longer ask me to dance with them. Who knows?" she replied and averted her gaze to look at her older sister. "We would love to accompany you on the dancefloor."

Alleria smiled and offered her sister her hand, helping her to get up. She guided her over to the dancefloor on which lots of couples were already dancing. But the dancefloor was so large that there was enough space for everyone. The two couples would be able to dance without having to fear that they might run into someone. Kelrian took one of Sylvanas' hands and put the other hand on her waist.

He stared into her eyes as they began to move. He had expected that she would lead, so it surprised him that she didn't lead. Even though she had announced it, she restrained herself and allowed him to lead. Kelrian led her, staring into her eyes all the time as they danced. They danced for a couple of minutes until the music changed. The next song was much faster and more euphoric. Kelrian struggled to keep up with the pace of the song, so Sylvanas decided to take over and lead.

Kelrian gave her a small smile and blushed a little as he followed her. He had to admit she was not only a good dancer but also a great leader. She knew exactly which move she had to do at which moment. Kelrian also had to admit that he didn't mind following her. He didn't have to be the one who led. He was happy as long as he could dance with Sylvanas, no matter who was leading.

They danced a few more songs before Sylvanas allowed Kelrian to take over. He did it better this time because he had remembered the steps Sylvanas had made, so he was able to lead her this time without falling off the pace.

"I think I have enough for the moment," Kelrian whispered after three more songs. He stared into her eyes, noticing the small amount of disappointment that was reflected by her eyes.

"Oh, okay."

"I'm sorry, my dear, but I have not as much stamina as you have when it comes to dancing. But if you want, you can dance with someone else."

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow, a small amount of surprise was reflected by her blue orbs. "For real?"

Kelrian nodded. "If you like dancing that much, why not?"

"And it's okay for you if I dance with another man or with a woman?"

"Of course it is. I don't see a reason to get jealous because of a simple dance. Feel free to dance as long as you want."

Sylvanas stepped on her tiptoes and press her lips on his right cheek, leaving a lipstick print on his skin. "Thanks, my love."

Kelrian put a strand of hair behind her ear. "Have fun, Sylvanas. I will go back to our table and watch you."

Sylvanas nodded, her eyes rested on him as he walked back to their seats and sat down. She turned around and regarded the dancing couples for a few moments. She noticed that Alleria and Turalyon had stopped dancing. She couldn't see Turalyon but she saw her sister coming over to her. Alleria put a hand on Sylvanas' hip and took Sylvanas' left hand, intertwining their fingers. "Ready for a dance, Lady Moon?"

"I'm ready if you are, Lady Sun," responded Sylvanas and smiled at her older sister.

Alleria returned her smile. "I'm always ready."

They started to dance and took turns in leading. They danced to three songs until Alleria decided she had enough. She kissed her sister's cheeks twice and caressed her belly for a few moments before she walked back to her lover who had just appeared out of nowhere at the edge of the dancefloor.

Sylvanas was not alone for too long. Someone wrapped their arms around her waist and turned her around. It was her mother who smiled at her as she stared into her eyes. "Hello, sweetheart."

"Hi, mom. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. And you?"

"Me too."

"Do you want to dance?"

"I've been dancing for a while now but I wouldn't mind dancing with you to a few songs."

Lireesa's smile became wider. "Do you want to lead?"

"I don't really mind leading today. You can lead if you want."

"I haven't led a dance since I retired as Ranger-General. It doesn't hurt to do if after letting your father lead for decades. I'm not sure if I still remember the steps."

"I have an idea," announced Sylvanas.

Lireesa raised an eyebrow curiously. "Tell me."

"Let me lead the first dance and then you will lead the second and third"

Lireesa smiled. "I'm fine with that."

They enjoyed the dances, especially Lireesa who had forgotten how much fun it was to take the lead. Sylvanas had to admit she still loved dancing with her family. She found it better than dancing with someone who she didn't know. For some reason, she didn't feel in the mood to dance with strangers or people she barely knew, so she was glad her family was asking her for dances and not someone else.

They danced to a couple of more songs until they had enough. Lireesa left the dancefloor so did Sylvanas who rejected all the other dance requests, telling the requesting men and women that she had enough for the moment. She returned to Kelrian who had talked to Zetai and Sydori in the meantime. The two left as soon as Sylvanas had approached her lover.

Kelrian stood up and pulled her chair out, allowing her to sit down. "They could have stayed. I wouldn't have minded their presence," Sylvanas said.

"They were about to leave anyway because they wanted to dance together."

The look on Sylvanas' face was full of surprise. "Zetai wants to dance?" She paused for a small moment. "Are you sure?"

Kelrian nodded.

"Zetai Lightspark? The Zetai Lightspark, we know since over six years, wants to dance?"

Kelrian nodded again. "Seems so."

Sylvanas chuckled. "I would have never believed that he would like to dance. It seems that everything is possible these days."

Kelrian wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer until she sat on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and put his hands on her belly. "It is indeed.I don't think that there is much that can surprise me."

"A lot of things happened that we would have never expected. That I become pregnant with twins, the discovery that Xenarion is not your father and many other things **."**

"I'm really happy about our offspring but I'm also happy that I'm not related to this asshole," responded Kelrian.

Sylvanas put her hands on Kelrian's and intertwined their fingers. "Your father once offered me to have sex with him in the exchange for agreeing to let you join the Farstriders."

Kelrian didn't say anything in return, he just shook his head.

"Xenarion is the true definition of scum," said Sylvanas.

"Indeed, he is. But he won't bother us anymore because he will never get out of his cell."

"He received his just punishment. He deserves it."

"He does," responded Kelrian.

The couple remained silent for a while and did nothing except for regarding the happening on the dancefloor. They saw many familiar persons who were dancing. Kael'thas danced with his fiancée. Anasterian danced with his wife but also with Queen Lianne who danced with her husband a few songs later. Zetai danced with Sydori but also with Vara who was feeling a lot better since she had accepted her sister's death.

Sylvanas and Kelrian were enjoying the presence of the other while they regarded what was happening around them. They shared a few kisses from time to time and even made out a little. They didn't grope each other, they only shared passionate tongue kisses and ran their fingers through the hair of the other. They didn't do any inappropriate things.

The guests were happy and they didn't hesitate to show that to everyone. They drank, eat, sang together, danced or talked. All of them had a good time. Everyone enjoyed the party and celebrated their victory. They talked about the future, made fun of the Horde and told stories. Most of them were real while some of them were completely made up. Others were just overstated. The guests shared their experiences with others and talked about various topics.

The celebration endured for a few more hours before the first guests left. Most guests left over the course of a few hours. Kelrian and Sylvanas still attended the celebration but they were not sitting on their seats anymore. Sylvanas held Kelrian's hand and guided him somewhere. They were walking through a corridor and Kelrian had no idea where Sylvanas wanted to stopped in front of a room andSylvanas opened the door a crack to see if it was empty. It was.

She opened the door and pushed Kelrian inside. Kelrian checked the furnishings of the room, assuming it was one of the guest room. "Why are we here?" Kelrian asked curiously.

Sylvanas approached him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, stepping on her tiptoes so she could whisper something in his ear. "Guess why."

"You are horny."

"Exactly," she whispered, her lips formed a wide smirk.

* * *

Liana regarded the piece of paper in her hand and followed the course of the corridor. She was not sure if she had taken the right corridor or if she had gotten lost. She hadn't walked through the corridors in Sunstrider Spire for decades. There were many of them, so it was not very unlikely that she would get lost. Unfortunately, there were no guards in sight she could ask.

Normally at least four guards were stationed in every corridor but today was an exception. The king had shortened the shifts of the guards and had stationed fewer guards to watch over the most important places of Silvermoon City. He didn't expect that anything would happen so he had changed their shifts so everyone could join the celebration in the course of the day.

Nevertheless, Liana found it weird that no one was watching over this corridor. She could only hope that she would find a guard in the next room. She walked as fast as she could but she stopped after a few minutes as she spotted a door that was not entirely closed. She could see light through the crack and heard noises but she couldn't identify them because they were to quiet.

She thought about ignoring them and keep walking but she became curious, so she walked to the door and put her hand on the doorknob, opening the door slowly to prevent that it would make any sound. Her eyes widened and her cheeks turned red as she saw what was going on in there.

There was a naked pregnant woman who was sitting on top of a man who was lying on the bed of the guest room. The woman's back was turned towards her, so couldn't see her face but her well-formed ass instead. She knew to who that ass belonged because she had seen that woman wearing bikini before. Also, there was only one pregnant woman with such beautiful golden-blonde hair who had attended the celebration.

Liana averted her gaze, after she had stared at that ass for a few moments, and closed the door without making a sound because she didn't want to disturb them during this moment of intimacy. Her cheeks were as red as a tomato as she hurried away and gave her best to not think about what she had just seen.

She assumed she wouldn't forget it that easily, but she had seen worse things than one of her children having sex. It had not been the first time she had caught one of her children being intimate with another person and she was sure it would not be the last time.

Liana left the corridor eventually, coming to a room that was nothing more than a connection between two corridors. There was no guard, so she had no other choice than following the next corridor. She followed the corridor to its end and was about to walk around the corner as she met the prince who just came from the corridor she had wanted to take.

"There you are, Liana. I was wondering when you would show up."

Liana blushed a little. "I was on the way to your room but I got lost. I haven't been there for a while and I didn't spot a single guard who could have helped me."

Kael'thas checked their surroundings, making sure that no one was there who could see them. He pulled Liana in a tight hug, putting his hand on her back as he pressed a kiss on her cheek. "Now, I am here," he whispered in her ear.

Liana looked around nervously. "We shouldn't do it here," she said quietly.

"Nobody is in our near," Kael'thas murmured in her ear.

"Nobody is in our near now but who knows who might come."

The prince pulled away. "You are right. We should go to my room first. Follow me."

Liana obeyed and followed the prince until they reached his private room. There were two guards in front of the door. "Don't worry about them, my dear," Kael'thas said as he spotted the look of concern on Liana's face. "I trust them. They are loyal and would never tell anyone about us."

Kael'thas wrapped his arm around the former paladin's waist and guided her through the entrance as soon as the guards had opened it. Kael'thas waited until the door was closed, then he turned around and pressed his lips against Liana's. The smaller woman hesitated at first but then she returned the kiss.

"I have missed you," Kael'thas whispered.

"I've missed you too."

The hand on Liana's back wandered until it rested on her well-formed ass. The prince didn't feel ashamed to grope mage broke the kiss but didn't let her go. He still hugged her and smiled at her. He frowned as he noticed that something was troubling her.

"What's wrong, my dear?" he asked and put a hand under her chin, caressing it softly.

Liana exhaled. "Kelrian knows that Xenarion is not his father," she responded and looked at the prince as if she was afraid of how he might react. But the prince remained calm and gave her a small smile. "As long as you don't tell him the truth, everything is fine. He will never find out if we keep our affair secret. We kept it secret for two hundred years, so I believe nobody will ever find out about us."

Liana nodded hesitantly. "What about Alina?"

"I love her but I love you too. I don't want to lose her but I don't want to lose you either that's why we decided from the beginning that our relationship would be a secret and an open one. What the eye does not see, the heart does not grieve over. As long as she doesn't find out, everything is fine."

"So it would be okay for you if I would have something with another man?"

"Of course. You can also have something with another woman, I don't really mind," Kael'thas replied and put kisses on her left ear.

"I'm fine with that," responded Liana. "You are too important to me, Kael. I don't want to lose you. That man would have broken me if you wouldn't have been there for me and given me comfort. This man is nothing but scum."

"I still don't understand why you didn't divorce earlier. Nor do I understand why you never told me about his misbehaviour. You only told me about it when our son rescued you out of Xenarion's household."

Liana sighed. "I don't understand it either. I guess I was too afraid of him. That's why I never did anything to stop him or why I never looked for help. I was stupid back then but I'm not stupid anymore."

"Xenarion is the past but I'm the present and the future. I love you, Liana."

"I love you too, my prince," replied the former paladin.

Kael'thas smiled and lifted her chin, staring into her eyes before he kissed her passionately. He didn't hesitate to remove her dress and his own ceremonial robe, then he put her on his bed and laid himself on top of her. He looked at her and waited until he received a sign that Liana really wanted what would follow next. Liana bit her lower lip in anticipation before she kissed the prince. That was the sign Kael'thas had waited for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be the last chapter of this story. But you will have to wait a bit longer for it because I want to upload the first chapter of the sequel at the same time, so you can directly jump into the next story. If you want.


	60. Epilogue

_A few months later_

"They are so beautiful," Kelrian whispered as he regarded the two tiny, beautiful creatures. He held one of his children in his arm and rocked it a little. He made sure he didn't wake up his son who had just fallen asleep after his mother had breastfed him. "Beautiful like their mother," he added and looked up at Sylvanas who was sitting on the other side of the bed and stared at her lover while she gave their daughter her right breast.

She returned his smile. "Their father is also pretty handsome. I wouldn't say that they got everything from their mother."

"I just wanted to make a compliment."

"I know, my love. And I appreciate that."

Kelrian held her gaze for a few moments before he averted it and looked at his son. His skin had a rosy colour, his head was barely covered by blond hair. His eyes were closed, his chubby cheeks and his snub nose were a little red. His ears were tiny but pointed. He was wearing a blue crawler.

Kelrian lifted his gaze eventually and looked at his lover and his daughter. She looked similar to her brother but her crawler was pink instead of blue. "It seems that Sylvera is pretty hungry today."

Sylvanas couldn't help but smile. "She just can't get enough of my breasts."

Soft laughter escaped Kelrian's lips. "I can only understand her. You have amazing breasts. If I were her, I wouldn't stop sucking on them."

Sylvanas rolled her eyes and shook her head, giving Kelrian an amused smile. She didn't say anything to him, she just looked at him. She felt a lot more comfortable when he was around. She had no reason to feel uncomfortable but her hormones challenged her sometimes. She had phases where she feared that she would be a bad mother and screw everything up. She was afraid that she might raise her children wrong. She was only afraid when she was alone with her babies. She never had such thoughts when Kelrian or any of her friends or family members were around her.

Kelrian had always been the one who made her happy by just existing. He didn't need to do much to make her happy, he just had to be around her and spend time with her. But now he was not the only one who made Sylvanas happy without doing much.

He had never expected that he would start a family with Sylvanas but it had happened. Their children hadn't been planned but none of the two parents regretted that the babies had come into their lives. They were very happy that they had them. They could raise them and watch them growing up. Kelrian and the babies were the best things that ever happened to Sylvanas.

She still couldn't believe that she had given birth to two wonderful and healthy children. She had never thought about getting children but she had never excluded it. She had become pregnant even though she had taken the pill and she was very happy that it had happened. She didn't want to imagine a life without these wonderful creatures. She was proud to have them and would do anything for them. She would be a great mother. Everyone she knew was sure of that.

Sylvanas caressed Sylvera's tiny head carefully, fearing that she might accidentally hurt her. But she didn't hurt her. Sylvanas was always careful when she touched her babies because their arms and legs were so thin and fragile. Sylvera didn't notice her mother's worries. She was too young to notice much around her. She noticed her mother's presence and her touch but that was all she could recognize at her very young age. She was only six weeks old, so nothing more could be expected from her.

Sylvanas and Kelrian remained silent and watched their daughter sucking on her mother's breast. Sylvanas decided after a while that her daughter had enough for the moment. She removed her from her breast carefully and rocked her in her arms as she started to whine. Sylvera's face became red, her eyes were closed and her tiny mouth was open as crying noises escaped her lips. Sylvanas felt bad a little but she knew she couldn't give her daughter too much of her mother milk because she had to save enough for later.

"Pssst, Sylvera, honey. Don't cry, my dear. You will get more milk later," Sylvanas whispered to her daughter. She held her index finger in front of the baby's mouth, hoping she would accept it as a replacement. Sylvera's tiny hands found her index finger after a few minutes and held it tight. Sylvanas' plan worked out. Her daughter started to suck on the tip of her finger, not caring that no delicious milk was coming out of it. A pleased smile appeared on Sylvanas' face. She regarded Sylvera for a few minutes before she looked at the love of her life.

"This is so cute," said Kelrian and moved closer to her until he sat next to her. Sylvanas gaze wandered to her son. "Raesh looks so peaceful when he sleeps. He is so adorable."

Kelrian caressed his son's cheeks carefully. "He is."

"Who would have guessed that we could create something so beautiful?"

Kelrian smirked. "You are the most beautiful woman on Azeroth and I don't look that bad either. I'm sure everyone who has eyes would have guessed that our children would be beautiful."

"You are right," responded Sylvanas and leaned over to kiss Kelrian who didn't hesitate to return the kiss. The kiss was passionate but hadn't lasted long enough for their liking. They had to pull away as Sylvera started to cry again. Her mother's finger was no longer in her mouth so she had nothing she could suck on.

But the little girl didn't cry for too long. Her father put her soother in her mouth, smiling as the girl stopped crying and opened her eyes. Her sky-blue eyes rested on him. Kelrian was not sure if she was able to recognize his face, not to mention remember it. Nevertheless, the baby looked at him as she sucked on her soother.

Kelrian and Sylvanas did nothing except looking at Sylvera and Raesh. The boy was still sleeping and Sylvera was still awake but that changed within a short amount of time. At first, Sylvera had problems keeping her eyes open whichdrooped from time to time. Later she became too tired to keep them open. Sylvera fell asleep in her mother's arms who couldn't help but smile at her.

"They look so cute when they sleep," said Kelrian.

"Yes, they do."

Kelrian wrapped his arm around Sylvanas and pulled her closer, holding his son with the other arm. He made sure his son wouldn't slip off his arm before he turned his upper body a little and pressed his lips on Sylvanas' cheek.

"I love you, Sylvanas."

Sylvanas' face was full of happiness. "I love you too."

They shared a passionate kiss that lasted for a few minutes. "We should put them in their cots and get some sleep. We didn't catch much sleep last night because the little ones didn't stop crying," Kelrian suggested.

Sylvanas nodded. "We should do that."

The couple got up, carried their children to their cots and laid them inside carefully. They regarded them for a few minutes before they walked over to their bed andsnuggled under the blankets. Kelrian wrapped his arms around her from behind, putting his hands on her belly that had become a lot smaller over the past weeks. It was still a bit rounder than in normal state but it was by far not as round as it had been at the day of the birth. Sylvanas was sure that her stomach would soon be flat again

Sylvanas and Kelrian had their eyes closed, their breaths were slow and steady as they cuddled and enjoyed the presence of the other. They held hands and Kelrian rubbed the back of her hands with his thumbs, kissing her neck and ear from time to time. They relaxed and fell asleep after some time.

* * *

"And this is the grand library," said the woman who was guiding him. Kelrian's gaze shifted from her to the inside of the room they had just entered. The room was much larger than any room he had ever been in. The huge and long walls were coloured in purple and decorated with various patterns. One of these patterns was the symbol of the Kirin Tor. An eye from which three pointed lineswere running away. Check patterns and other beautiful patterns could be found on other parts of the walls.

The floor was covered by a light purple coloured carpet. There were numerous shelves in the library. It was impossible to guess how many shelves were in the room. He assumed that most of the people who were working there didn't even know the exact number of shelves and books in the grand library.

Kelrian was more than just impressed by this place. He had visited many libraries of different cities but he had never seen such a huge library. Even the library in Silvermoon was nothing compared to this one. Dalaran was not called the city of mages for no reason. It was known to have the biggest library of Azeroth but it was also known for its powerful mages.

Lots of mage apprentices of different races started their training in this place. Most of them became powerful mages but there were also creatures who didn't pass the final exams. Not everyone was qualified to be a mage. Also, not everyone wanted this gift. There were several individuals who didn't want to become a mage despite their talent.

Kelrian was not one of those who would waste their talent by not following the path of a mage. The woman, who was guiding him through Dalaran, had tested him if he was capable of using magic. She had told him that his magic was very strong, that he had much potential and could become a powerful mage if he would train hard.

He would be much deadlier if he would able to fire arrows and cast spells at the same time. He would be able to deal with his foes much easier if he would be able to use his magic in combat.

But to achieve that he had to learn the basics first. His way to become a powerful mage was long but it was possible for him to achieve that goal. He just had to trust in himself and work hard for it. He would have to train every day, otherwise, he would need too long to reach the level he was striving for.

But he was not sure if he could do that. He was still working as a ranger and had two babies to take care of from time to time as soon as Sylvanas will be working again. He had to consider everything before he would make a decision. But for now, he was enjoying his visit to Dalaran. He would gain an impression of how things would work out in Dalaran and how his daily life would look like.

The raven-haired woman had told him that the majority of mages and apprentices that learned in Dalaran also lived there, so they didn't have to travel all the time. She had also told him that there were some mages who didn't live there. They usually stayed in Dalaran from Monday to Friday and returned to their homes on the weekends to spent time with their families.

The woman, whose name was Ves, told Kelrian everything he needed to know about the library. "So, I can just borrow any book I want," he said.

"Every book except for the hidden ones. They contain lots of forbidden spells or information only certain people are allowed to know."

"There are forbidden spells?"

Ves nodded. "I have never seen any of these books but from what I have heard there are lots of them. Only the leaders of the Kirin Tor and certain archmages know where these books are and have access to them."

"But besides them, I can borrow every book, right?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"Depends on the book. Popular books which are read often have a short lending period while books which are rarely borrowed have a much longer lending period. There are lots of copies of popular books so the chances that you get one are good but you can usually keep one of these books for one or two weeks at maximum before you have to bring them back and see if you can borrow them again," explained his guide.

"I see."

"Are there any other questions you have?"

Kelrian thought for a moment. "No."

"Do you want to stay in the library or do you want to see the last place I want to show you?"

"We can go to the last place," Kelrian said. "I will have enough time to take a closer look at the library at the end of the tour."

"Alright. Follow me then," Ves said and signalized him to come with her. Kelrian didn't hesitate to follow her. They walked through the bordering corridor and came to two massive double doors which were guarded by two city guards and three mages. "This is the chamber where the Council of the Six meet when they have to discuss things. They rule Dalaran from this chamber. The Council of the Six is currently in a meeting so we can't take a closer look at the room. Maybe we can do that later."

"It's okay if we don't see it. I'm not planning on becoming one of the leaders of Dalaran, so this room doesn't interest me for now. But what interests me is who the six members of that Council are."

"I assume you already know one of them. He is a very famous person in Quel'Thalas." Ves told.

"You mean Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider?"

Ves nodded. "Yes, he is a member of the Six since quite some time."

Kelrian was surprised. "I knew he was a member of the Kirin Tor but I didn't know he was one of the Six."

Ves smiled. "Now you know."

"Who else?"

"Well, our prince is the only real high elf in the Council. The other members are four humans and a dragon with the name Korialstrasz. He is the prime consort of the Dragon Queen Alexstrasza and he is pretty old and powerful. He always visits Dalaran in his humanoid form. A tall high elf with long blond hair. He likes to call himself Krasus while using this form."

Kelrian was more than just impressed that a dragon was a leader of the Kirin Tor. "And the humans?"

"One of them is Archmage Vargoth. He is over fifty years old but he still looks like he is in his late thirties. He is specialized in arcane magic. Archmage Karlain wears red extravagant armour with massive shoulder plates. There is only one thing you have to keep in mind about him. Do not make him angry."

Kelrian nodded and signalized her to keep speaking. "Then we have Archmage Modera who is one of the newest members of the Council. She became a member of the Six about six years ago and often proved herself as a useful and reliable member.

And last we have the head of the Kirin Tor. His name is Archmage Antonidas and he is a very old and grumpy man but you shouldn't underestimate him. He is by far the most powerful human mage of the Alliance. I can't tell if he is more powerful than our prince but he is not as powerful as Krasus. Nobody comes even close to an ancient dragon like him."

Kelrian thanked her as she was done explaining.

"Do you have any questions?" Ves asked.

"Who is going to train me?"

"First you will join classes for a few months and learn about the basics of magic, its origin and the different ways of using it. Then you will do a few tests and the results will determine whether you are being trained by someone or not."

"I'll give my best."

Ves smiled. "I hope so. It would be a shame if no one would want to train you. You have great potential."

Kelrian smiled. "I appreciate that you believe in me."

"As I've said before, your results have impressed me. That's why I took you to Dalaran and showed you around instead of showing you the academy in Silvermoon. The teachers in Dalaran can teach you more than the ones in Silvermoon. I want to make sure you will be taught by the best of the best if you decide to learn how to use magic," replied the raven-haired elf.

Kelrian nodded to the mage but didn't say anything in return.

"Do you have more questions?"

Kelrian shook his head.

"Do you want to go back to the library?"

Kelrian nodded.

"Alright, follow me then."

"I will."

* * *

"Got a hard night?" Camillia asked as she saw Sylvanas' entering the room. The young mother had dark circles under her eyes and her hair was tousled.

Sylvanas had Raesh on her arm as she sat down on a chair opposite to the girlfriend of her deceased brother. Kelrian entered the room a few minutes later with Sylvera on his arm. He sat down next to Sylvanas and stared absent-mindedly at the empty plate in front of him. Like his lover, he had dark circles under his eyes. None of them had gotten much sleep during the previous nights.

"The little ones cried almost the entire night and we had no idea what to do. They didn't want to eat and their nappies were empty too. "I have no idea why they didn't stop crying."

Camillia shrugged and took a sip from her hot coffee cup. "Fortunately, my child only cried half of the night. Sometimes I have no idea why she is crying," she responded and put a kiss on the head of her baby. It was a girl who was more than two months older than Sylvanas' and Kelrian's children.

The baby had light-brown skin, which was much lighter than her mother's skin, short pointed ears and blue glowing eyes. The colour of the baby's hair was similar to the colour of Camillia's hot coffee. The baby had the eyes of her deceased father, the nose and the mouth of her mother.

"At least you got some sleep, Cami," responded Sylvanas and gave her a tired smile. Kelrian turned his head and suppressed his yawn as best as possible. He turned back to the human and her hybrid child. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, I guess. It's not easy to raise a child alone but I guess Lyndia and I are fine."

The couple smiled at her. "You are not alone. We are always here for you whenever you need us. Don't forget that."

Camillia returned their smiles. "I will never forget that. I'm glad you are supporting us whenever you can."

Sylvanas made a gesture with her hand. "It's nothing, really. You were Lirath's lover and Lyndia is his child, so it's only natural for us to help you. You belong to our family. Not by law. But in our hearts, you are one of us. You are a member of the Windrunner family. Your daughter is a Windrunner so you have every reason to consider yourself as one of us. We will never let anyone down. Promised."

Camillia smiled but didn't say anything in return. She stared into Sylvanas' eyes for a few moments before she looked back at her baby who was sucking on her soother while staring at her.

"I have seen hybrids between humans and elves but I have never seen a half-elf with brown skin before. She is a rarity. You won't find many like her on Azeroth. First, because not many high elves mate with human and second because there are not too many dark-skinned humans in the Eastern Kingdoms. At least I haven't seen many. Who knows, maybe there are more of them than we know," said Sylvanas.

"The skin colour of a humanoid being doesn't really matter, does it?" asked the petite woman.

Sylvanas shook her head. "Not really. All members of all races should be equal regardless of their skin colour. I can't understand why some people discriminate humans with different skin colour. For me, it doesn't matter if they are black or white, have blue skin or purple skin. People shouldn't be discriminated because of the way they look."

"I see things like you, honey" responded Kelrian.

Camillia took another sip of coffee. "Ever since I was a little girl, I have been teased and insulted by others because of my skin colour. I grew up in a small village where lots of idiots lived. The other children made fun of me because of my skin colour. They didn't like me and stayed away from me because I was different. My family was the only family with brown skin in our village, so we were seen as outsiders. I didn't have any friends and that didn't change when I became a teenager. I was a little thicker than most girls, so everyone made fun of me because of my body."

Sylvanas put her hand on one of Camillia's, giving her a comforting look. "I'm sorry to hear that. Your childhood wasn't easy but you have grown into a beautiful woman. Who cares that you weigh more than the average human woman? None of the women, who mocked you, managed to make one of the four Windrunner siblings fall for them. You are better than them because you don't judge people by their appearance. I don't know a lot about you but you must be a loveable person. Lirath got into raptures whenever he mentioned you in one of his letters.

We want to get known to you but we won't force you to do anything. You don't have to speak with us if you don't want to. Just do what you want but remember that we will always support you. I only know you for a few months but you are already very important to me. Lirath loved you and he often told us about you in his letters but never mentioned your name. He gave us a lot of information about you. What you like, dislike and much more. We would be happy to have you as our friend and a member of our family."

"Your words really touch my heart," responded Camillia and wiped a tear away that rolled down her cheek. It was unmistakable that what Sylvanas had said meant a lot to her.

Sylvanas smiled at her but didn't say anything in return.

"I also want to get known to you. Lirath told me much about you but he didn't tell me everything. I'm also pretty sure he didn't tell you everything about me. I assume there is still a lot you may not know. I have nothing to hide, so you can ask me anything you want," told the brown-skinned woman.

"How you met my brother? He never mentioned it in any of his letters," said Sylvanas.

Camillia's lips formed a small smile as old memories came up in her mind. Memories of the day she met Lirath. "I joined a theatre group when I was sixteen years old. We travelled from city to city and performed various stage plays. We performed in Goldenmist Village one day. I met him there.

He came to me after the end of the play and told me he loved my acting and the role I played. He told me that I could become a great and successful actress if I would keep practising. My group stayed in Goldenmist Village for three days and I met Lirath every single day. We talked a lot and got known to each other but I didn't regard him more than a friend at this point. I told him that he could come and meet me in other cities and villages and watch our other stage plays."

"I assume he did that," Sylvanas concluded.

The dark-skinned woman nodded. "We performed in twenty cities and villages in one year and Lirath travelled to fifteen of them. He even went to the capital of Lordaeron to see us play. Well, he mainly did that because he wanted to see me and spend more time with me. I got fond of him over time and even developed feelings for him but I was too shy to tell him how I felt about him. Fortunately, he told me how he felt one day and we came together."

Camillia smiled as she was finished with her explanation but then her expression changed. Happiness was replaced by sadness and grief, and a thoughtful look appeared on her face.

She remembered that he was dead and would never return. She would never see him again. She had already accepted that but she was still feeling like this from time to time. But she didn't cry. She stayed strong and stared at her fingernails. She knew that she would only feel like this for a few minutes, so she closed her eyes and hoped that her sad mood would change as soon as possible.

She felt better faster than expected and opened her eyes as she felt a warm hand on her hands. Two pairs of blue eyes rested on her and Sylvanas' gentle hand caressed the back of her hand. Camillia didn't say anything. She just stared into Sylvanas' eyes. The high elf's smile comforted the human, the unintelligible noises the three babies made distracted her and made her think about something else.

She imagined her future with Lyndia and Sylvanas' family. She was so happy that Sylvanas allowed her to live in Windrunner Spire, which meant that her daughter could grow up with her relatives. Lyndia could grow up with her cousins who were only about two months younger than her. she could go to nursery school with them and later to school. A friendship between them could develop from the beginning, so Camillia didn't need to be afraid that her daughter wouldn't find any friends.

It might be possible that she wouldn't grow up the same way her mother did and wouldn't be bullied because of her appearance. Camillia was afraid the most that people would harass her daughter because of her origin. She feared they would hate her because she was a half-elf with brown coloured skin.

Her daughter was a Windrunner which meant no one would ever dare to harass her or her family. Nobody dared to do that because everyone feared what Sylvanas would do with her influence. They weren't only afraid of what Sylvanas would do.

Alleria would make sure that anyone, who had insulted any member of her family, had apologized to the affected person. Not to mention that the citizens of Quel'Thalas would be pretty mad at anyone who would make their beloved Ranger-General angry. Anyone who would dare to say something against Camillia and her daughter would have to live with the consequences. And nobody wanted that.

Camillia remembered that and relaxed, leaning back in her chair. Her eyes no longer reflected worry. "Is there anything else you want to know about me?" Camillia asked eventually.

"I already know what happened to your parents and that you have no other relatives. But do you have any friends out there who had helped you to cope with his death?"

"The only persons I consider as friends are the members of my theatre group. But I didn't saw them since the attack."

Kelrian raised an eyebrow. "You were alone all the time?"

Camillia nodded.

"Nobody comforted you," he concluded.

She nodded again.

Sylvanas' eyes reflected pity and a small amount of sadness. "I'm sorry to hear that."

A weak smile could be seen on the human's lips. "It's okay. I accepted his death a while ago. It still hurts to think about him but it has become a lot better over time. I will always remember the good moments we had. My world changed when he died but it changed again when I met you and gave birth to Lyndia. My life will never be the same but at least I have a beautiful daughter to raise. That's my new life purpose."

"And we will help you wherever we can," responded Sylvanas.

"I appreciate it. I'm so grateful that you invited us to live in this beautiful house. I'm grateful you believed me and didn't think I'm just a random person who got pregnant by a random elf and is trying to get a better life by worming her way into your family **.** I would have raised my child alone if there would have been no other choice. I'm happy that I can raise her while living together with the family of the man I loved," Camillia made a small pause, taking a sip from her coffee. "I still can't believe Alleria recognized me even though she had never seen me before."

"Alleria is a very smart woman. Lirath described your beautiful, almost god-like appearance in one of his letters. You kissed Lirath one last time before we burnt him. Alleria just counted two and two together. You appeared familiar to me even though I have never met you before. I guess it was my sixth sense. I'm sure Alleria had the same feeling."

"I thought about going to you earlier but I was too afraid," admitted the human. "I was afraid you wouldn't believe me and send me away. I even thought about not going to the funeral but I pulled my courage together and went there. I'm glad I attended the funeral."

Sylvanas put a hand on Camillia's shoulder and patted it softly. "I'm glad you came to us. You are a very nice woman and I'm looking forward to spending more time with you and Lirath's legacy."

"Lirath's legacy," repeated Camillia. "Sounds weird to say that."

A sad sigh escaped Sylvanas' lips. "We have always thought he would become a famous ranger like my mother, my sisters and I. Unfortunately, he never became a ranger. Not even a recruit. This dream never came true for him. But he met the love of his life and even left her a gift. A beautiful child. It makes me sad to imagine that your daughter would never meet her father. Lirath didn't even know about her. That's much sadder." Sylvanas stared at her hands, her eyes reflected sadness and her bottom lip trembled a little. She was getting emotional.

Kelrian wrapped his arm around Sylvanas' shoulders and pulled her closer, pressing his forehead against hers. He whispered comforting words in thalassian. He opened his eyes eventually and regarded Sylvanas who had calmed down thanks to him. He stared at her for a few more moments before he turned his head and looked at the human. "At least, Lirath has left us something beautiful."

Camillia raised an eyebrow. "Something? Is my daughter some sort of an object or what?"

Kelrian raised his free hand in surrender. "I didn't mean it that way. Sorry."

Camillia smirked. "I know." She was about to say more but her daughter started to whine. Her mother sniffed. "It seems that someone's nappy is full," she said and lifted her baby, holding it in front of her. The baby stopped whining eventually and looked back at her mother. Her face was expressionless. Camillia got up and moved her chair right in front of the table. "I will be back soon."

Sylvanas nodded. "I will breastfeed Raesh in the meantime. He hasn't eaten yet."

Camillia nodded and gave them a smile before she walked away with her baby.

* * *

"If only your admirers would know that you are revealing your breasts to anyone these days," joked a familiar feminine voice.

Sylvanas rolled her eyes and avoided to look at her older sister, not wanting to see the wide grin on her face. Alleria hit her shoulder playfully, coming with her face closer to Sylvanas'. "Come one, it was not that bad."

"It was bad," corrected Sylvanas and turned her head, staring into Alleria's gorgeous eyes. "I'm sure Kelrian didn't like it either."

"I agree with Sylvanas."

"Of course you do." Alleria grinned at them and sat down next to Sylvanas. "Seeing you like this brings up the good old memories of me breastfeeding Arator until he was six months old."

"Breastfeeding for six months, isn't that too long for a baby? **"** Kelrian asked.

"Well, there is no guideline of how long you should breastfeed your baby. You can breastfeed it for a few weeks and then make it used to drink from a baby bottle. You can also breastfeed it for more than six months. It depends on what you think is best for your child," explained Alleria.

Kelrian looked at Sylvanas who was still feeding their son. "Have you thought about it yet?"

Sylvanas' answer was a shake of her head.

"You don't have to make a decision now. Don't forget that, Lady Moon," reminded Alleria. "Take your time."

"I will."

"You should turn to me, otherwise Kelrian will drool on all over the table if his eyes rest on your breasts much longer."

Kelrian blushed but didn't say anything in return. He was so embarrassed that he didn't even look at Sylvanas or Alleria. Soft laughter escaped Alleria's lips. "I'm just joking, Kel. I'm sure Sylvanas wouldn't mind you staring at her. She is used to that. She is used to hundreds of people staring at her breasts at the same time."

Kelrian looked back at them but he was still blushing. Sylvanas put a hand on his left hand, giving him a comforting smile. "She is right, I don't mind you looking at my exposed breasts while I feed our kids. You have seen them very often, so I don't see a reason why you shouldn't be allowed to look."

Kelrian's eyes rested on Sylvanas' face. "Thank you for the offer but I think I have stared enough," he responded and leaned over to her. Only Sylvanas was able to hear what he was whispering to her. "For the moment at least." He gave her a small smile as he pulled back. Sylvanas returned his smile.

"What did he say?" Alleria asked curiously.

"Nothing of great importance," Sylvanas responded.

Alleria knew it was not the truth but she didn't want to get on her sister's nerves, so she didn't say anything in return. She took a sip of warm milk while she regarded the couple. Sylvanas was still giving Raesh her breast. The baby drank until he was satisfied. Sylvanas pressed him against the right side of her upper body and patted him on the back, making him burp.

"You are a good boy," Sylvanas said to her son and lifted him above her head, smiling at him. Raesh looked at his mother helplessly, not knowing what was going on. His big blue eyes rested on her face. Sylvanas smiled as she regarded the cute boy, then she looked at Kelrian who still held their daughter in his arms. The little girl was sucking at his finger as if she was hoping that milk would come out of it. She couldn't know what it was. She couldn't know it was not one of her mother's nipples.

"You can keep doing that, Sylvera but no milk will come out, no matter how long you will do it," he said and smiled. He knew his daughter didn't understand what he had told her but he continued to talk to her. It wouldn't hurt them if Kelrian and Sylvanas would speak to them. Babies needed someone who would talk to them and spend time with them, otherwise, no emotional bond would be built up.

"It seems your daughter is hungry," Alleria said amused.

"She drank thirty minutes ago," said Sylvanas and regarded Sylvera.

"Some babies eat and drink a lot more than others."

"Sylvera is one of these special cases."

"I'm sure she has her appetite from you, Sylvie. You also drank a lot when you were a baby. You ate a lot every day since you were able to eat solid food. You ate a lot but you never gained more weight. I've been wondering for a while how you manage to stay so slim while eating so much."

Sylvanas shrugged. "I have no idea, to be honest."

"It remains a mystery," commented Alleria.

Sylvanas didn't say anything in return. She just stared at her sister whose gaze rested on her children.

"I want to tell you something," Alleria said eventually.

"Go ahead," responded her sister, giving her a curious look.

"The Alliance is looking for volunteers who would go through the Dark Portal to close it. No more orcs or demons could invade Azeroth if we succeed," Alleria told.

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to tell me that you want to go through the portal, do you?"

A small smile appeared on Alleria's lips. "No, I don't want to do that. At first, I thought it would be my destiny fighting against the orcs who killed our brother. I thought destiny would lead me through the Dark Portal. I would love to do that and help to close it. But I have a son who needs me. A son who needs Turalyon and me.

Arator needs his mother and his father. There are many other talented fighters who would be able to close it. I don't want to leave my son and my family behind. I want you to be there for you whenever you need me. I want to watch your children growing up with you. The first few years are never easy for parents. Your children will give you hard times but you will always love them."

"I'm glad you don't want to go through the portal. I need you and I don't want you to be gone. We don't even know when you would return if you would go. We have no idea what would await you on the other side of the portal. You should stay home with your child instead of risking your life unnecessarily."

"You are right, sister. There are many other capable fighters of the Alliance who could close the portal."

"Does this mean there is no other way than going through the portal and closing it from the other side?" Kelrian asked worriedly.

Alleria shook her head. "Unfortunately not. The Kirin Tor tried everything that came in their mind but they didn't manage to close it. The people who would join this expedition would have to go through the portal. It's unavoidable."

"I see," Kelrian muttered.

Nobody said anything until Camillia returned with her daughter. "Is something wrong or why is everyone silent?" she asked as she sat down on the chair she had previously sat on.

"Nothing is wrong," responded Kelrian.

"Why aren't you talking then?"

"We did talk and then we decided to enjoy the pleasant silence."

"What did you talk about?" she asked curiously.

"We just talked about the expedition," said Alleria.

"The expedition through the Dark Portal?"

Alleria nodded.

Camillia frowned. "Are there any volunteers? Sorry for the stupid question. I haven't heard much about this expedition, so I don't know much about it."

"There are no stupid questions", responded Kelrian and smiled. "There are only stupid answers. About your question. I heard there are a lot of volunteers. Lots of people want to go through the portal but not everyone can go. The Kirin Tor had decided to allow the best of the best to go through the Portal."

"How many will go?"

"We have no idea."

"I hope they will be successful and close that damned thing," said Camillia.

Alleria gave her a small smile. "I hope the same."

* * *

The room was totally dark. The clicking noises of heels were the only noises that could be heard. A slim figure walked through the room. Green eyes were the only sources of light but they didn't enlighten anything. The woman, who had just entered the room, was able to see everything around her. She walked over to the throne-like chair that was standing in the middle of the room. She recognized the shape that sat there. She knew who the person in front of her was.

She stopped in front of the chair and put her hand on the left forearm of the motionless body. She closed her eyes and muttered a few phrases. The language she spoke was eredun also known as demonic. The main language of demons like her. She made a few steps backwards once she had finished her spell.

She didn't need to wait long to find out that her spell had worked. It had woken up the creature on the chair, which was made out of green felstones that began to glow dimly at first. The glowing became more intense until it was so bright that it almost dazzled the woman. Fortunately for her, her eyes got used to it quickly.

The creature in front of her was one head taller than her and had a very muscular body. It was definitely a male demon but no ordinary demon. He was a Nathrezim, a member of one of the smartest demon races in the service of the Burning Legion.

He had huge, curved horns, massive claws with sharp and long fingernails, and massive wings. His skin was purple and his body was covered by thick armour that not only protected him from stabbing attacks but also protected him from lots of spells that weren't too powerful.

Dangerous, green glowing eyes rested on the woman who was not afraid of the Nathrezim she had just woken from his deep slumber. "Who dares to wake me?" shouted a raucous voice.

"My name is Alyssa Felspeaker," the woman responded.

The Nathrezim leaned forward and regarded her from a close distance. He sniffed at her. "I smell a lot of fel. Your body literally reeks of it."

"That's not a bad thing, is it?"

"No," responded the Nathrezim. "Every servant of the Burning Legion is welcome in my castle. Still, I'm not pleased to get woken up by a random servant of the Legion."

"Random servant?" the woman laughed amused. "I'm Master Kil'jaeden's right hand."

The Nathrezim's eyes widened, confusion was reflected by his face. He raised an eyebrow, a frown was visible on his forehead as he regarded the woman in front of him. "Since when did Master Kil'jaeden chose a night elf as his right hand? He always chooses Nathrezim to advise him. We are much smarter than stupid night elves like you."

The night elf ignored the insult and just looked at the demon, a wide smirk could be seen on her lips. "It doesn't matter why I became his right hand, does it? Also, I no longer consider myself as a night elf. I'm a demon like you. A very powerful one, in fact."

The Nathrezim tilted his head, his lips were pressed together and a thoughtful expression could be seen on his face. "I believe that you are very powerful. You wouldn't have managed to pass my guards if you wouldn't be powerful. Just tell me how long I was sleeping."

"Over ten thousand years."

"Ten thousand?" he asked surprised. His eyes were widened and his mouth was open.

She nodded.

"Master Kil'jaeden promised me to wake me up personally after our army conquered Azeroth. Instead, I get woken up ten thousand years later. What happened? What went wrong?"

"My former people were stronger than Lord Sargeras expected. The invasion failed and our armies were repelled," Alyssa responded.

"So Xavius and Queen Azshara failed to bring all night elves on our side. They resisted and forced us back somehow."

"They did."

"And you are one of those who fought for us from the beginning of the invasion," he concluded.

"You are right about that."

The Nathrezim was silent and gave the night elf demon a thoughtful look. He leaned back and rested his head on his clenched left fist. "You need my help. That's the reason why you woke me, right?"

"Well, not really your help."

He raised an eyebrow, irritation was reflected by his face.

Alyssa didn't let him wait for too long. "Lord Sargeras ordered Master Kil'jaeden to prepare our armies for another invasion in fifteen years. We don't want to lose this time so Master Kil'jaeden told me to give you a very important task," Alyssa told.

The Nathrezim made a gesture, signalizing her to continue with her explanation.

"Your task is to weaken the nations and kingdoms on Azeroth and minimize their defence strength. You have to weaken them as best as you can."

"And how should I do that?" the tall demon asked.

Alyssa smirked. "You are a clever guy, I bet you will come up with a good plan. Your race belongs to the most intelligent races of the Burning Legion, so I expect that something good will come up in your mind."

The male demon got up from his chair and looked down at the night elf. "I won't disappoint Master Kil'jaeden."

"I hope that for you, Mal'Ganis. The Deceiver wouldn't be pleased if you fail."

"I won't fail," said Mal'Ganis and bowed to her. Alyssa didn't say anything in response. She regarded the Nathrezim one last time before she teleported away and left him alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note + Information about the Sequel ( As we fall):
> 
> So.
> 
> This is the end of the story. But before I will give you more information about the sequel, I want to say something else.
> 
> I really enjoyed writing this story. Sylvanas is my favourite world of warcraft character and the only reason I started to play this game when BfA was announced. ( too bad the expansion was not good in my opinion but I really enjoyed the legion content.)
> 
> I have always loved to read fanfictions about her ( only Sylvanas X females ) so I never thought I would ever do a Sylvanas x Male OC Story. But there was this one sleepless night where I got that brilliant idea. I really enjoyed writing this story and I'm glad I got so much good feedback from you guys.
> 
> This wouldn't have been possible without you guys. As far as I love writing, I can't do it without any readers. Your feedback motivated me to keep working and updating this story regularly. I spent most of my free time writing and editing and I don't regret it. Writing makes so much fun for me, I even pass on playing video games during the week so I can write more or edit my chapters. I only play on the weekend but that's enough for me.
> 
> I want to thank everyone who read this story up to this chapter. But I also have to thank my girlfriend for proofreading my chapters. And I want to thank those who gave me lots of ideas ( mostly for the sequel) I may or may not use. Thanks to everyone.
> 
> About the sequel. I don't want to spoiler much but it will be a Canon- Divergence Alternative Universe. I won't change much about the events that happened in Warcraft 3 but I will do changes about The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King ( these changes can be small or even have a huge impact).
> 
> Before you start reading the sequel, which will have the name "As we fall", you need to know that the sequel will be different in some points to this one.
> 
> I assume that most of you know Sylvanas' tragic story very well. This story will also have tragic moments and scenes which are not easy to read. They will be there but they won't predominate. There will be such scenes but also good ones. I want to do this story as realistic as possible so graphic depiction of violence and more will be necessary.
> 
> It won't be easy to read such scenes ( not to mention write them in my case) but they must be there. They won't be too violent or too bloody but they won't be harmless either. There will also be a few scenes with explicit sexual content. This story is definitely rated 18+ (M+).
> 
> Only read the sequel if you can bear something like that. But don't worry, such sad or violent scenes will be rare. That's all I want to tell you about the sequel. I don't want to spoiler too much. Check it out and find out more.
> 
> When this chapter will be uploaded, the first chapter of the sequel should be uploaded too ( Maybe with a delay of a few hours. Depends on how long this page needs to approve it.)
> 
> Have a great day.


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